Formulation and Characterization of β-Cyclodextrins–Nitazoxanide Inclusion Complexes: Enhanced Solubility, In Vitro Drug Release, and Antiviral Activity in Vero Cells
2024

Improving Nitazoxanide Solubility and Antiviral Activity with Cyclodextrins

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Author Information

Author(s): Sakthi Velu Kuppu, Jegatheeswaran Sonamuthu, Akhtar Muhammad Saeed, Khan Mohammad Rizwan, Mohandoss Sonaimuthu, Ahmad Naushad

Primary Institution: School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea

Hypothesis

Can β-cyclodextrins enhance the solubility and antiviral activity of Nitazoxanide?

Conclusion

The study found that Hβ-CD:NTX inclusion complexes significantly improved the solubility and antiviral efficacy of Nitazoxanide against HSV-1.

Supporting Evidence

  • The formation of β-CD:NTX complexes was confirmed using UV-visible spectroscopy.
  • Phase solubility tests showed a linear increase in NTX solubility with increasing β-CD concentration.
  • Dissolution tests revealed rapid NTX release within 90 minutes for β-CD:NTX and Hβ-CD:NTX complexes.
  • The Hβ-CD:NTX complex demonstrated significantly higher antiviral efficacy than β-CD:NTX and free NTX.
  • Cytotoxicity studies indicated lower toxicity for the Hβ-CD:NTX complex compared to free NTX.

Takeaway

This study shows that using special sugar molecules called cyclodextrins can help a medicine called Nitazoxanide work better against a virus by making it dissolve more easily.

Methodology

The study involved creating inclusion complexes of Nitazoxanide with β-cyclodextrins and testing their solubility, drug release, and antiviral activity in vitro.

Limitations

The study did not provide detailed information on marketed oral formulations and dosing of Nitazoxanide, which limits the practical relevance of the findings.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3390/pharmaceutics16121494

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