ENHANCEMENT OF BIOAVAILABILITY OF ATORVASTATIN AND FENOFIBRATE COMBINATION USING SOLID DISPERSION TECHNIQUE

The present investigation aimed to design and evaluate solid dispersions of Atorvastatin and Fenofibrate combination, to enhance the solubility and bioavailability. When used in combination, these drugs show additive beneficial effect and comparatively fewer side effects, in the treatment of Hyperlipidemia. Being members of BCS Class-II, these drugs exhibit low aqueous solubility and high permeability. The solubility of the above drug combination is increased using solid dispersions with PEG 4000 and PEG 6000 in different concentrations, using the solvent evaporation method. The in-vitro release profiles of prepared solid dispersions were found to exhibit better dissolution characteristics compared to that of a branded market formulation, Atocor-F. The prepared solid dispersions were evaluated concerning, percent practical yield, drug content, and characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FT-IR spectra data showed the absence of drug-polymer incompatibility. Drug-polymer interaction was investigated using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The formulation F₄, containing Atorvastatin: Fenofibrate: PEG 4000: PEG 6000: 1:1:2:4 was found to show the best in-vitro drug release.