A novel humic acid and polyquaternium-10 polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) was synthesized utilizing two methods and the solubility and permeability of efavirenz (EFV) were established. Complexation-precipitation and extrusion-spheronization were used to synthesize and compare the drug-loaded PECs. The chemical integrity, thermo-mechanical differences, and morphology between the drug-loaded PECs produced by the two methods were assessed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimetry, and SEM. The extent of drug solubilization was determined using the saturation solubility test while the biocompatibility of both PECs was confirmed by cytotoxicity studies on human adenocarcinoma cells (caco2). Bio-relevant media was used for the solubility and permeability analysis of the optimized PEC formulations for accurate assessment of formulation performance. Ritonavir (RTV) was loaded into the optimized formulation to further corroborate the impact of the PEC on the solubility and permeability properties of a poorly soluble and poorly permeable drug. The optimized EFV-loaded PEC and the RTV-loaded PEC exhibited 14.16 ± 2.81% and 4.39 ± 0.57% increase in solubility, respectively. Both PECs were compared to currently marketed formulations. Intestinal permeation results revealed an enhancement of 61.24 ± 6.92% for EFV and 38.78 ± 0.50% for RTV. Although both fabrication methods produced PECs that enhanced the solubility and permeability of the model Biopharmaceutics Classification System Class II and IV drugs, extrusion-spheronization was selected as most optimal based on the higher solubility and permeability improvement and the impact on caco2 cell viability.
Keywords: complexation-precipitation; efavirenz; extrusion-spheronization; humic acid and polyquaternium-10; polyelectrolyte complex; ritonavir.