Appraisal of Felodipine nanocrystals for solubility enhancement and pharmacodynamic parameters on cadmium chloride induced hypertension in rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Felodipine (FDP), an antihypertensive drug possesses low water solubility and extensive first-pass metabolism leading to poor bioavailability. This impelled us to improve its solubility, bioavailability, and pharmacodynamic properties through the nanocrystal (NC) approach. METHODS FDP-NC were prepared with Poloxamer F125 (PXM) by the antisolvent precipitation method. The experimental setup aimed at fine-tuning polymer concentration, the proportion of antisolvent to solvent, and the duration of ultrasonication for NC formulation. RESULTS Optimized formulation was characterized for particle size, solubility, and PDI. Particle reduction of 74.96 times was achieved with a 9X solubility enhancement as equated to pure FDP. The morphology of NC was found to be crystalline through scanning electron microscopy observation. The formation of the crystal lattice in FDP-NC was further substantiated by the XRD and DSC results. Lowering of the heat of fusion of FDP-NC is a clear indication of size reduction. The stability studies showed no substantial change in physical parameters of the FDP-NC as assessed by particle size, zeta potential, and drug content. CONCLUSION The crystalline nature and improved solubility of FDP-NC improve the dissolution profile and pharmacodynamic data. The stability study data ensures that FDP-NC can be safely stored at 25℃. It is revealed that FDP-NC had a better release profile and improved pharmacodynamic effects as evident from better control over heart rate than FDP.