Quality-by-Design based development and characterization of pioglitazone loaded liquisolid compact tablets with improved biopharmaceutical attributes

• Published in: Journal of drug delivery science and technology 2019-06, Vol.51, p.345-355
• Main Authors: Bonthagarala, Brahmaiah, Dasari, Varun, Kotra, Vijay, Swain, Suryakanta, Beg, Sarwar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Diabetes; Dissolution; Experimental design; Heckel analysis; Kawakita analysis; Liquisolid technology
• ISSN: 1773-2247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2019.03.033

The present research work describes the formulation development of liquisolid compact tablets of pioglitazone for improving its dissolution performance and antidiabetic activity. Using Quality by Design (QbD) approach, a total of nine formulations were prepared as per the central composite design (CCD) by selecting colloidal silicon dioxide and microcrystalline cellulose as independent, while polyethylene glycol 400 was used as non-volatile solvent. The formulations were evaluated for Carr's index and disintegration time as the dependant variables. Kawakita and Heckel analysis carried out on the liquisolid compacts indicated dense nature of the particles along with good compaction characteristics. Aerosil 200 and microcrystalline cellulose showed plastic deformation suggesting improved compressibility. Moreover, the liquisolid compact tablets exhibited faster rate and extent of drug release than the directly compressed tablet. In vivo pharmacodynamic study performed on normal and diabetic male Swiss albino mice confirmed that optimized liquisolid compact tablet formulation showed better reduction of blood glucose level as compared to directly compressible tablet and pure drug. In a nutshell, the present work successfully construed that liquisolid compact technique can be a novel approach for improving dissolution performance of pioglitazone in potentiating its antidiabetic activity. [Display omitted] •QbD-based development of liquisolid compacts for biopharmaceutical improvement.•Micromeritic and in vitro characterization of the liquisolid compact tablets.•Liquisolid compacts exhibited faster release rate than directly compressed tablet.•In vivo pharmacodynamic study indicated significant lowering of blood glucose level.•Liquisolid technique proved to be a novel approach for delivery of pioglitazone.