OpenNano · Published 2026-05-14 · DOI 10.1016/j.onano.2026.100308
Alaa Abuawad, Areen Alshweiat, Aisha Abdo, Tamara Athamneh, Aseel Abu awad, Shatha Alshaer
Ketoprofen (KP) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with poor aqueous solubility, leading to limited dissolution and bioavailability. Nanosuspension is used to boost the dissolution of poorly soluble drugs. This study aimed to develop enhanced-dissolution KP nanocrystals (DKPNS), obtained through the freeze-drying of KP nanosuspensions (KPNS), by exploring the impact of stabilizers and process parameters on the physicochemical properties and performance of DKPNS. The KPNS were prepared by ultrasonication-assisted anti-solvent precipitation technique using Soluplus® alone or in combination with Poloxamer 407, Poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA), or alginate. KPNS Mean Particle Size (MPS), Polydispersity Index (PDI), and Zeta Potential (ZP) were evaluated. Dissolution studies were performed for the DKPNS at pH 6.8. The optimized DKPNS were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Accelerated stability studies were conducted for 3 months. At optimized conditions of 0.5% Soluplus®, 30 mL anti-solvent, 50 mg KP, 4 °C, and 50% sonication amplitude for 5 min. The MPS of the prepared KPNS ranged between 53.42 and 86.55 nm, all KPNS had PDI values ≤0.3, and the ZP ranged from −3.83 to −24.13. The released KP was superior to DKPNS2, DKPNS3, DKPNS8, DKPNS11, and DKPNS14, which ranged from 79% to 88% after 120 min, compared to 13.75% for the raw drug. DKPNS2, DKPNS3, DKPNS8, and DKPNS11 preserved their nanosize for 3 months at 45 °C and 75% relative humidity without a significant difference. The optimized DKPNS demonstrated a significantly enhanced dissolution profile, suggesting its potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy of Ketoprofen, though in vivo confirmation is required.
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Abuawad, A., Alshweiat, A., Abdo, A., et al. (2026). Elucidating the role of process and material parameters in the optimization of Soluplus®-based ketoprofen nanosuspensions using precipitation-ultrasonication method - a strategy for enhanced dissolution behavior. OpenNano. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onano.2026.100308