Improved dissolution of Kaempferia parviflora extract for oral administration by preparing solid dispersion via solvent evaporation

Kaempferia parviflora, a plant in the family Zingiberaceae, has been used in Thai traditional medicines for treating hypertension and promoting longevity with good health and wellbeing. However, its limited aqueous solubility and low dissolution restrict its bioavailability.The aim of the study was therefore to improve the dissolution rate of K. parviflora extracted with dichloromethane(KPD) by solid dispersions. Different water-soluble polymers were applied to improve dissolution of KPD. The solid dispersions in different ratios were prepared by solvent evaporation method. Only hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC) and polyvinyl alcohol-polyethylene glycol grafted copolymer(PVA-co-PEG) could be used to produce homogeneous, powdered solid dispersions. Physical characterization by scanning electron microscopy, hot stage microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffractometry, in comparison with corresponding physical mixtures, showed the changes in solid state during the formation of solid dispersions. Dissolution of a selected marker,5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone(TMF), from KPD/HPMC and KPD/PVA-co-PEG solid dispersions was significantly improved, compared with pure KPD. The dissolution enhancement by solid dispersion was influenced by both type and content of polymers. The stability of KPD/HPMC and KPD/PVA-co-PEG solid dispersions was also good after 6-month storage in both longterm and accelerated conditions. These results identified that the KPD/HPMC and KPD/PVAco-PEG solid dispersions were an effective new approach for pharmaceutical application of K. parviflora.

Fabrication and characterization of spearmint oil loaded nanoemulsions as cytotoxic agents against oral cancer cell

Spearmint oil(SMO), a commonly used essential oil for oral care products, possesses various interesting functions, especially for anticancer property. However, the application of SMO for cancer treatment is limited due to water insoluble. In the present study, nanoemulsions, which have been widely accepted as dosage forms for poorly water-soluble drugs, were selected as candidate carriers for SMO to inhibit oral cancer cell. The nanoemulsions were fabricated using phase inversion temperature method. The factors affecting formation and properties of nanoemulsions including type and amount of surfactants, oil loading and ratio of SMO to virgin coconut oil(VCO) were investigated. Among the surfactants used, the nanoemulsions containing polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives(Kolliphor ?EL; PCO35, Cremophor ?RH40; PCO40, Eumulgin ?CO60; PCO60) and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters(PSF80) showed 100% creaming after temperature cycling test indicating excellent physical stability while those containing PCO40 demonstrated more transparency and better physical stability. With an increasing amount of PCO40, the droplet size tended to decrease and was in the nano-size range( < 1000 nm) after increasing to more than 5%(w/w). SMOVCO loading also influenced on the droplet size. At 5%(w/w) PCO40, the maximum SMO-VCO loading of 25%(w/w) to attain nanoemulsions was observed. Moreover, the composition of oils had an impact on size of emulsions. The transparent nanoemulsions were only prepared in the range of SMO-VCO from 40:60 to 80:20, suggesting the optimum ratio of SMO tosurfactant and the composition of oils were the critical factors for formation of nanoemulsions. NMR study disclosed that the interaction between PCO40 with both VCO and SMO should be a possible stabilization mechanism. Furthermore, the SMO-VCO nanoemulsions exhibited significant cytotoxic effect against oral carcinoma(KON) cell line using MTT assay. The finding, therefore, revealed the good feasibility of SMO-VCO nanoemulsions as novel carriers for treating of oral cancer.