Dual-purpose vardenafil hydrochloride/dapoxetine hydrochloride orodispersible tablets: in vitro formulation/evaluation, stability study and in vivo comparative pharmacokinetic study in healthy human subjects

AbstractErectile dysfunction (ED) is the most important disorder after premature ejaculation for sexual activity in men. Vardenafil hydrochloride (VH) is an oral therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. VH oral disintegrating tablets (ODTs) have been prepared by freeze drying technique to improve its dissolution profile and the overall clinical performance. Dapoxetine hydrochloride (DH) was added to the best three formulae of the prepared VH ODTs to treat premature ejaculation. All the ODTs formulae were evaluated for weight variation, friability, drug content, in vitro disintegration time, wetting time, and the dissolution study. Gelatin as a matrix former with N-methylpyrrolidone as a solubilizer in VH/DH ODTs improved the dissolution rate and extent of release of VH and DH with 100% of drug being dissolved after 15 min. In vivo study results from six healthy male volunteers showed shorter Tmax of VH from VH/DH ODT of 0.583 ± 0.129 h and shorter Tmax of DH from VH/DH ODT of 0.625 ± 0.137 h and...