Physicochemical characterization and dissolution studies of solid dispersions of clotrimazole with chitosan

The aim of the present study was to increase the solubility of clotrimazole. Among the methods to increase the solubility selected solid dispersions of the drug with the polymer. Chitosan was used as the polymer. Clotrimazole was incorporated into the chitosan type 652 with molar masse chitosan Mη = 429 kDa. Solid dispersions were prepared by using different ratios of clotrimazole and chitosan (1:9, 3:7, 5:5, 7:3, 9:1). Formulations were tested dissolution rate of the drug. The highest dissolution of clotrimazole, amounting to 47.95%, was observed after 60 minutes from solid dispersion prepared by grinding method and 42.84% from physical mixtures with drug-polymer weight ratio 1:9 in the presence chitosan. The solubility of the drug improved more than 37-fold. XRPD analysis indicates the presence of the clotrimazole in crystalline form in the solid dispersion obtained by kneading method