Improved Dissolution Characteristics of Lovastatin by Inclusion in β-CD and Hp β-CD

Lovastatin is a hydrophobic molecule practically insoluble in aqueous media and exhibits an exceedingly slow intrinsic dissolution rate. In the present work inclusion complexes of lovastatin were prepared with the soluble complexing agents β-CD and HP β-CD. Phase solubility studies revealed the formation of 1:1 complex of AL type with a stability constant Kc Of 85.91 m_-1 and 113.49 m_-1 for β-CD and HP β-CD respectively in water. Interactions of the drug β-CD and HP β-CD in the solid state were studied using FTIR, DSC and X-ray powder diffraction studies. Preparation of kneading mixture of drug and HP β-CD increased both the aqueous solubility and the dissolution rate.