Quetiapine Fumarate Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier for Enhancing Oral Bioavailability: Design, Development and Pharmacokinetic Assessment

Aims: The study aimed at developing and characterizing Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC) of Quetiapine Fumarate (QF) by Design of Experiment (DoE) for the enhancement of bioavailability. Background: QF, an anti-psychotic drug, has an oral bioavailability of 9% due to hepatic first-pass metabolism necessitating the use of high doses. Its side effects are dose-related and enhancement in bioavailability would result in minimization of side effects. Objective: The objective of the study was the enhancement of bioavailability of the NLC of QF by preferential lymphatic uptake. Methods: Hot emulsification-ultrasonication was the method of formulation using PrecirolATO5 and Oleic acid as solid and liquid lipids respectively. Poloxamer188 and Phospholipon90G were used as surfactant and stabilizer respectively. Solid: liquid lipid ratio and Phospholipon90G amount were independent variables and percent Entrapment Efficiency (%EE), Particle Size (PS) dependent variables during optimization by Central Composite Design. Results: The optimized formulation showed a %EE of 77.21%, PS of 140.2 nm and surface charge of - 19.9mV. Higuchi kinetic model was followed during the in-vitro release. TEM revealed spherical, smooth nanoparticles. A pharmacokinetic study in rats showed AUC0-infinity of QF-NLC to be 3.93 times that of QF in suspension, suggesting significant enhancement in bioavailability. An increase in AUC0-infinity in cycloheximide untreated rats' group of QF-NLC by 2.43 times as compared to cycloheximide treated group, confirmed lymphatic absorption of QF-NLC. Conclusion: The results validated DoE as an appropriate tool for developing QF loaded NLC and proved NLC to be a promising delivery system for the enhancement of oral bioavailability of QF.

Automated summary

The study aimed to enhance the bioavailability of Quetiapine Fumarate by developing Nanostructured Lipid Carriers through Design of Experiment. The optimized formulation showed high Entrapment Efficiency and small Particle Size, leading to a significant enhancement in bioavailability. The results demonstrated the potential of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as a promising delivery system for improving the oral bioavailability of Quetiapine Fumarate.