The College of Pharmacy discussed the MSc thesis entitled “Formulation and Characterization of a Self-Emulsifying Microemulsion System for Oral Delivery of Acemetacin” by the student Zaineb Zuhair Abd Al-Jaleel and the supervisor, Assistant Professor Dr. Khalid Kadhem Al-Kinani, at the Department of Pharmaceutics.
The study aimed to develop a self-emulsifying microemulsion system to improve the solubility of acemetacin and enhance its oral bioavailability, while reducing variability in absorption.
The study included selecting components based on solubility studies (Imwitor 308, Tween 20, and Transcutol P), followed by the design and preparation of various formulations using an optimization design. These formulations were evaluated in terms of droplet size, polydispersity index, drug content, and percentage of drug release. The optimized formulation was then converted into a solid form using spray drying (Aerosil 200), filled into hard gelatin capsules, and coated with Eudragit L100, Further characterization included Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), in vitro release studies, ex vivo permeability, and in vivo efficacy studies.
The results showed that the optimized formulation (F5) achieved a nanosized droplet diameter of approximately 20 nm, a low polydispersity index of about 0.18, and a high drug content of around 99%. It demonstrated nearly complete drug release (~99%) within 90 minutes in intestinal medium, with complete resistance in acidic medium , The formulation also exhibited a significant improvement in permeability (~99.5% within 30 minutes) and enhanced analgesic efficacy compared to the conventional suspension, along with good stability during storage.
The study recommended the adoption of an enteric-coated self-emulsifying microemulsion system as an effective approach to improve the solubility and absorption of acemetacin, enhance its therapeutic efficiency, and support its development as a more stable and safer advanced dosage form.
