Development of technology for obtaining nifedipine nanoparticles to improve its solubility

Introduction. Nifedipine, a typical representative of 1,4-dihydropyridine, is widely used in the treatment of various diseases due to its vasodilatory and antihypertensive effects. Low water solubility is a common problem for drugs such as nifedipine, limiting their bioavailability and effectiveness. This leads to a decrease in the therapeutic effect and the need to increase the dosage, which, in turn, can increase the risk of side effects. Nanotechnology offers a promising approach to overcome this barrier, allowing the creation of dosage forms with improved pharmacokinetic properties.

Aim of the study. Developing a method for increasing the solubility of nifedipine by obtaining nanoparticles using a high-energy ball mill.

Material and methods. The following were used in the work: nifedipine (Tamico, Syria), methanol (Biosolve Chimie, France), potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium heptanesulfonate and orthophosphoric acid (85%) (Isolab, Germany), purified water and Tween 20 (Merck, Germany). Nifedipine was ground using a high-energy ball mill (Retsch PM 400). During the research, the dissolution profile of nifedipine and nifedipine nanoparticles was studied by examining their saturated solution using HPLC. To characterize the sizes of the ground samples, they were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Results. The use of a high-energy ball mill (Retsch PM 400) allowed us to obtain nifedipine nanoparticles with significantly improved solubility characteristics. It was found that the solubility of nifedipine nanoparticles was 9.05%, which is 38 times higher than that of the original substance (0.24%).

Conclusions. The findings of this study highlight the transformative potential of high-energy ball milling in enhancing the solubility of nifedipine, a crucial component in pharmaceutical formulations. By employing this innovative approach, we successfully produced nifedipine nanoparticles with demonstrably improved solubility compared to the conventional powder form. This achievement opens a new frontier in the development of nifedipine-based dosage forms with enhanced bioavailability. The increased solubility of nifedipine nanoparticles signifies a promising avenue for optimizing drug delivery and potentially improving therapeutic efficacy.