Effect of inclusion complexation with cyclodextrins on photostability of nifedipine in solid state.

Nifedipine is a highly photosensitive drug that requires restricted protection from light during manufacturing, storage and handling of its dosage forms. Inclusion complexation of nifedipine with cyclodextrins (CDs) could be advantageous in protecting the drug against the effect of light. In this study, solid inclusion complexes of nifedipine with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) and dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (DM-beta-CD) were prepared using the coprecipitation method. The obtained solid inclusion complexes have been confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The IR spectra indicated partial inclusion of nifedipine molecules into CD cavities through the dihydropyridine ring. Inclusion complexation was also associated with a dramatic enhancement of drug dissolution with magnitudes depended on the type of CD. The effect of exposure to fluorescent lamp and sunlight on the photodegradation of uncomplexed and complexed nifedipine was tested. Photodegradation of nifedipine was monitored using a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay method. Inclusion complexation of nifedipine showed to retard drug photodegradation as indicated by degradation rate constant lowering with values depended on light source and type of complexing agent. This effect was the least with beta-CD compared with that of modified beta-CD. It was also interesting to notice that inclusion complexation of nifedipine offered much higher protection against the effect of fluorescent lamp than that of sunlight. The obtained results suggests that the design of solid dosage forms of nifedipine such as a fast dissolving nifedipine tablets is possible with the advantages of low required light protection. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.