Liquisolid compacts of meloxicam: in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation

Abstract

Background Meloxicam (MXM) is a poorly soluble drug and its low aqueous solubility leads to poor dissolution and bioavailability. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a liquisolid system to improve the dissolution rate and the bioavailability of MXM. Materials and methods The liquisolid compacts were prepared using Avicel PH102 as a carrier material, Aerosil 200 as a coating material, Polyethylene glycol 400 as a liquid vehicle, and sodium starch glycolate as a superdisintegrating agent. The 15 liquisolid compact formulations were prepared by varying drug concentrations in the liquid vehicle. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and powder X-ray diffraction were used to investigate the physicochemical interaction and crystallinity of the drug in the liquisolid compact. MXM compacts were evaluated for uniformity of drug content, tablet hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution. An in-vivo study was carried out in male albino rats. The data were presented as mean±SD and were compared using the one-way ANOVA. A P-value less than 0.05 were considered to be significant. Results The liquisolid system of MXM was formulated successfully using Avicel PH102, Aerosil 200, and Polyethylene glycol 200. The results of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction study indicated the existence of hydrogen bonding between drug and excipients and the complete amorphization of MXM. In-vitro evaluation parameters for the liquisolid compact were found to be within the acceptable limits. It was found that optimized liquisolid tablet formulation showed higher dissolution than the marketed tablet, with more than 80% drug release within 10 min. The pharmacokinetic data showed a higher bioavailability of liquisolid compact of MXM compared with the marketed product. Conclusion The liquisolid compact can be a promising alternative for the formulation of water-insoluble drug MXM with improved dissolution and bioavailability.