A Study on Improvement of Solubility of Rofecoxib and its effect on Permeation of Drug from Topical Formulations

Rofecoxib, a practically insoluble cox-2 selective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agent was subjected to improvement in solubility by preparing its binary mixtures with beta cyclodextrin using various methods such as physical mixing, co-grinding, kneading with aqueous methanol and co-evaporation from methanol-water mixture. Characterization of the resulting binary mixtures by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies indicated partial amorphization of the drug in its binary mixtures. In vitro dissolution studies exhibited remarkable increase in rate and extent of dissolution of the drug from its complexes with beta -cyclodextrin. Pure rofecoxib as well as its co-ground binary mixture were formulated as aqueous gels for topical application. In vitro skin permeation of rofecoxib from formulation containing rofecoxib-cyclodextrin complex was significantly higher (p<0.05) at 1, 2, 12, 18 and 24 hr as compared to formulation containing pure rofecoxib. This could be attributed to better solubility of binary mixture in the aqueous gel vehicle leading to greater concentration gradient between the vehicle and skin and hence higher flux of the drug.