Rational Design of a Famotidine-Ibuprofen Coamorphous System: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

J Phys Chem B. 2018 Sep 20;122(37):8772-8782. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b06105. Epub 2018 Sep 11.

Abstract

Famotidine (FMT) and ibuprofen (IBU) were used as model drugs to obtain coamorphous systems, where the guanidine moiety of the antacid and the carboxylic group of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug could potentially participate in H-bonds leading to a given structural motif. The systems were prepared in 3:7, 1:1, and 7:3 FMT and IBU molar ratios, respectively. The latter two became amorphous after 180 min of comilling. FMT-IBU (1:1) exhibited a higher physical stability in assays at 4, 25, and 40 °C up to 60 days. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy accounted for important modifications in the vibrational behavior of those functional groups, allowing us to ascribe the skill of 1:1 FMT-IBU for remaining amorphous to equimolar interactions between both components. Density functional theory calculations followed by quantum theory of atoms in molecules analysis were then conducted to support the presence of the expected FMT-IBU heterodimer with consequent formation of a R228 structural motif. The electron density (ρ) and its Laplacian (∇2ρ) values suggested a high strength of the specific intermolecular interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations to build an amorphous assembly, followed by radial distribution function analysis on the modeled phase were further employed. The results demonstrate that it is a feasible rational design of a coamorphous system, satisfactorily stabilized by molecular-level interactions leading to the expected motif.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antacids / chemistry*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / chemistry*
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Drug Compounding*
  • Drug Design
  • Famotidine / chemistry*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Ibuprofen / chemistry*
  • Models, Chemical
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

Substances

  • Antacids
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Famotidine
  • Ibuprofen