Improved dissolution and bioavailability of silymarin delivered by a solid dispersion prepared using supercritical fluids

The objective of this study was to improve the dissolution and bioavailability of silymarin(SM).Solid dispersions(SDs)were prepared using solution-enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids(SEDS)and evaluated in vitro and in vivo,compared with pure SM powder.The particle sizes,stability,and contents of residual solvent of the prepared SM-SDs with SEDS and solvent evaporation(SE)were investigated.Four polymer matrix materials were evaluated for the preparation of SM-SD-SEDS,and the hydrophilic polymer,polyvinyl pyrrolidone K17,was selected with a ratio of 1:5 between SM and the polymer.Physicochemical analyses using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry indicated that SM was dispersed in SD in an amorphous state.The optimized SM-SD-SEDS showed no loss of SM after storage for 6 months and negligible residual solvent(ethanol)was detected using gas chromatography.In vitro drug release was increased from the SM-SDSEDS,as compared with pure SM powder or SM-SD-SE.In vivo,the area under the rat plasma SM concentration-time curve and the maximum plasma SM concentration were 2.4-fold and 1.9-fold higher,respectively,after oral administration of SM-SD-SEDS as compared with an aqueous SM suspension.These results illustrated the potential of using SEDS to prepare SM-SD,further improving the biopharmaceutical properties of this compound.