A system for enhancing the water dissolution rate and solubility of poorly soluble drugs

Claim 2

An anhydrous composition comprising a poorly water-soluble drug and a surfactant.

Claim 3

A composition as claimed in Claim 1 in which the drug is a B-blocker, antimicrobial agent, anti-inflammatory agent, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, antihypertensive agent, sex hormone, muscle relaxant, antiasthma agent, antiemetic agent, antidepressant, diuretic, vasodilator or antiparasitic agent and the surfactant is a polysorbate, a polyoxyethylene polyol, sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium desoxycholate, a sorbitan, a polyoxyalkylated isostearyl alcohol, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, a polyoxyethylene polyol fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene fatty glyceride, a cocoamido alkyl betaine, a dioctyl sodium sulphosuccinate, an ethoxylated tallowate, a C-cetyl or C-decyl betaine, stearyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride or an ether amine salt.

Claim 4

A composition as claimed in Claim 2 in which the drug is timolol, propanolol, bupranolol, cefoxitin, erythromycin, lincomycin, hydrocortisone, betamethasone, prednisolone, indomethacin, sulindac, diflunisal, methyldopa, clonidine, estrogen, androgen, progestin, cyclobenzaprine, baclofen, diazepan, theophyline, dyphyline, pipamazine, chlorpromazine, protriptyline, amitriptyline, aldactone, diuril, hydrochlorothiazide, ivermectin, thiabendazole, avermectin, abamectin, nitroglycerin or papaverine, and the surfactant is polysorbate 80, a polyoxyethylene polyol, sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium desoxycholate.

Claim 5

A composition as claimed in any preceding claim in which the ratio of the weight of drug to that of surfactant ranges from 1:0.05 to 1:20 and the drug-surfactant combination constitutes from 10 to 100% by weight of the total formulation.

Claim 6

A composition as claimed in Claim 4 in which the said ratio ranges from 1:1 to 1:10 and the said combination constitutes from 40 to 98% of the total formulation.

Claim 7

A composition as claimed in any preceding claim, for use in the treatment of a medical disorder.

Claim 8

The use of a composition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 in domestic or agricultural applications where the drug component is known for such use.

Claim 9

A process for preparing a composition as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 comprising appropriately dissolving the drug into the surfactant at a temperature in the range from room temperature for liquid surfactants to temperatures no greater than 10°C above the melting point of solid surfactants.

Claim 10

The process as claimed in Claim 8 including the further step of dissolving the solution obtained in an aqueous or aqueous alkanolic solvent and evaporating to a dry product at a temperature in the range -30°C to +60°C.