Enhancement of cyclosporine aqueous solubility using α- and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin mixtures

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides that form inclusion complexes with lipophilic molecules through their hydrophobic central cavity. In this study, the effect of α-CD, hydroxylpropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) and mixtures of these two CDs on the aqueous solubility of cyclosporine A (CyA) was investigated. Infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis were used to confirm CyA-CD complex formation. CyA aqueous solubility was increased by 10 and 80 fold in the presence of α-CD and HP β-CD, respectively. The phase-solubility profile for HP-β-CD was linear while that for α-CD had positive deviation from linearity. In the presence of constant concentration of α-CD (15% w/v), aqueous solubility of CyA was further increased upon addition of HP-β-CD up to a concentration of 20% w/v. At higher HP-β-CD concentrations, aqueous solubility of CyA was observed to decrease. Addition of sodium acetate (up to 5% w/v) to aqueous solutions containing 20% w/v HP-β-CD and increasing concentrations of α-CD resulted in a significant reduction in CyA solubility. Complex formation between CyA and both α-CD and HP-β-CD was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). No significant changes were observed in the IR spectra of either CyA or CD following complex formation suggesting chemical interaction between CyA and the CD was unlikely. Phase-solubility studies showed that α-CD had a much greater effect on the solubility of CyA than HP-β-CD. Addition of HP-β-CD to aqueous solutions of α-CD affected the solubility of CyA in these systems. A mixture of 15% w/v α-CD and 20% w/v HP-β-CD was optimal for increasing aqueous solubility of CyA.