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Microemulsion System with Improved Loading of Piroxicam: A Study of Microstructure

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Abstract

Formulation of a new oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsion composed of castor oil/Tween 80/ethanol/phosphate buffer for enhancing the loading capacity of an anti-inflammatory drug piroxicam has been accomplished. The pseudo-ternary phase diagram has been delineated at constant surfactant/cosurfactant ratio (1:2). The internal structure of so created four-component system was elucidated by means of an analysis of isotropic area magnitudes in the phase diagram. Conductivity (σ), kinematic viscosity (k η ), and surface tension (γ) studies with the variation in Φ w (weight fraction of aqueous phase) show the occurrence of structural changes from water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion to oil-in-water (o/w). Along with the solubility and partition studies of piroxicam in microemulsion components, the changes in the microstructure of the microemulsion after incorporation of drug have been evaluated using pH, σ, γ, k η , and density studies. Piroxicam, a poorly water-soluble drug displayed high solubility (1.0%) in an optimum microemulsion formulation using ethanol (55.0%), Tween 80 (26.5%), castor oil (7.5%), and phosphate buffer (11.0%). The results have shown that the microemulsion remained stable after the incorporation of piroxicam. Fluorescence spectra analysis taking pyrene as fluorescent probe was performed, and the results showed that pyrene was completely solubilized in the oil phases of the bicontinuous microemulsions. The fluorescence spectrum of the model drug piroxicam was used to probe the intramicellar region of nonionic microemulsion. The results showed that the piroxicam was localized in the interfacial film of microemulsion systems more deeply in the palisade layer with ethanol as the cosurfactant.

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Acknowledgments

The financial support of Quaid-i-Azam University and Higher Education Commission of Pakistan is duly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Faizan Nazar, Asad Muhammad Khan & Syed Sakhawat Shah

  2. Department of Chemistry, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), 54600, Lahore, Pakistan

    Asad Muhammad Khan

  3. School of Science and Engineering, LUMS, Opposite U Block, DHA, 54792, Lahore, Pakistan

    Asad Muhammad Khan

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  1. Muhammad Faizan Nazar
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Correspondence to Asad Muhammad Khan or Syed Sakhawat Shah.

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Nazar, M.F., Khan, A.M. & Shah, S.S. Microemulsion System with Improved Loading of Piroxicam: A Study of Microstructure. AAPS PharmSciTech 10, 1286–1294 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-009-9328-9

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