Pascal Bertholet

Application of Supercritical carbon dioxide for the preparation of drug-cyclodextrin inclusion compounds

Inclusion complexes of drugs into cyclodextrins (CDs) can be obtained at the solid state by means of supercritical dioxide (SCCO2). A successful inclusion with a yield >98.5% has been achieved with piroxicam and β-CD. The temperature and the time of exposure to SCCO2 have a significant effect on the inclusion yield while the pressure has a negative effect. However, there is a strong interaction between temperature and pressure and this interaction has a positive influence. The molar ratio piroxicam-β-CD and the addition of ternary alkaline agents were also found to be significant factors. The dissolution rate of the complexes formed using SCCO2 was found to be significantly higher than that of the physical mixture. Inclusion complexes have also been obtained with miconazole treating mixtures of miconazole, CDs and citric acid by SCCO2. This new technique of inclusion of poorly soluble drugs into CDs allows the preparation of solid complexes without using organic solvents and thus without residues.