Preparation and characterization of ibuprofen solid lipid nanoparticles with enhanced solubility

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with ibuprofen (IBU) were prepared by solvent-free high-pressure homogenization (HPH). The produced SLNs consisted of stearic acid, triluarin or tripalmitin as lipid matrixes and various stabilizers. The produced empty and IBU-loaded SLNs were characterized for particle size stability over 8 months. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were implemented to characterize the IBU state of freeze-dried SLNs. IBU was found to be in both amorphous and crystalline form within the lipid matrix. The lyophilized powders showed increased dissolution rates for IBU depending on the lipid nature. SLNs were incubated in Caco-2 cells for 24 h showing negligible cell cytotoxicity up to 15 mg/mL.