BIOAVAILABILITY ENHANCEMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POORLY WATER-SOLUBLE DRUG

Objectives: Lovastatin is an antilipidemic medication categorised as a statin, which exhibits limited absorption when taken orally owing to its low solubility and inconsistent dissolution rate. The primary objective of this research was to improve the drug’s solubility and dissolving rate, as well as gain insight into its oral bioavailability. Materials and Methods: A precipitation-ultrasonication process was used to formulate Lovastatin nanosuspensions, with PVP k30, PEG 6000, and Tween 80 serving as stabilisers. The nanosuspensions that were created were analysed to determine their polydispersity index (PDI), particle size, surface shape, zeta potential, and in-vitro release rate. Results: The optimised formulation exhibited a particle size of 185±0.56 nm, a zeta potential of -27.8 mV, and a PDI of 0.042±0.32, indicating excellent stability. The morphological analysis revealed that the particles had nanoscale dimensions. The drug content was determined to be within the range of 73-94%. The in vitro analysis demonstrated a significantly accelerated drug release within a one-hour timeframe. Stability investigations revealed that the optimised formulation P2 exhibited greater stability when stored at a temperature of 4°C. Conclusion: The formulated lovastatin nanosuspension exhibited enhancements in solubility, dissolving rate, and oral bioavailability when compared to both the pure drug and its commercially available version. Therefore, the use of lovastatin nanosuspension has the potential to enhance the absorption of lovastatin when taken orally.