Surface Solid Dispersion of Glimepiride for Enhancement of Dissolution Rate

Surface solid dispersions using water-insoluble carriers like crospovidone, croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate, pre-gelatinized starch, potato starch and Avicel PH 101 were investigated to enhance the dissolution rate of the glimepiride, a poorly water insoluble drug. The effect of various carriers on dissolution profile was studied using presence absence model. The surface solid dispersion on crospovidone with drug to carrier ratio of 1:19 showed highest dissolution rate with the dissolution efficiency of 81.89% in comparison to pure drug (22.88%) and physical mixture (35.96%). The surface solid dispersion on crospovidone was characterized by powder X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography and scanning electron microscopy. The optimized dispersion was formulated into tablets by wet granulation method. These tablets, apart from fulfilling the official and other specifications, exhibited higher rates of dissolution and dissolution efficiency values.