ISSN : 2663-2187

Elaboration and Characterization of Empagliflozin-Loaded Pharmacosomes: A Comprehensive Study

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Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Kunal
ยป doi: 10.33472/AFJBS.6.1.2024.2148-2159

Abstract

The primary objective of the current research design was to develop pharmacosomes that could be linked to Empagliflozin (EMGF). Pharmacosomes represent a highly promising technique for delivering drugs in vesicular form, offering several advantages over conventional methods of vesicular drug administration. These specialized structures, known as phospholipid complexes or pharmacosomes, can potentially enhance the absorption of poorly soluble medications in both lipids and water. Given that the FDA and EMA classify Empagliflozin (EMGF) as a BCS class 3 drug, which typically exhibits limited permeability, the focus was on creating pharmacosomes to enhance its permeability and bioavailability. By utilizing an innovative technique known as anhydrous cosolvent lyophilization, Empagliflozin (EMGF) was combined with soya phosphatidylcholine in various ratios to generate the pharmacosomes. This approach allowed for a comprehensive assessment of the resulting pharmacosomes, encompassing factors such as drug content, zeta size and potential, FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis, DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) analysis, partition coefficient, and an in-vitro dissolution study. Among the various pharmacosome formulations, the most optimal one, designated as P5 and characterized by an Empagliflozin to lecithin ratio of 1:2, exhibited an impressive drug content of 96.4% w/w. The zeta size and potential measurements, indicating stability, were found to be 283 nm and -68.69, respectively. Notably, formulation P5 demonstrated a robust drug release rate of 94.43%. The FTIR analysis of the pharmacosomes revealed a noteworthy shift in the Alcohol OH bond to lower wave numbers, which suggested the formation of bonds between the drug and soya lecithin. The DSC results further confirmed the distinct peaks of the pharmacosomes compared to pure EMGF, serving as evidence of successful pharmacosome preparation. In conclusion, the process of complexing Empagliflozin (EMGF) with soya phosphatidylcholine through pharmacosome formation holds significant promise for significantly improving the drug's permeability and bioavailability. This innovative approach could potentially revolutionize the delivery of poorly soluble drugs, offering a more effective means of administration.

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