Relationship between dissolution and bioavailability for nimodipine colloidal dispersions: the critical size in improving bioavailability

To compare the dissolution and bioavailability for nimodipine microcrystals and nanocrystals, and to determine the critical size range in improving the oral absorption of nimodipine. Nimodipine microcrystals and nanocrystals were prepared using a microprecipitation method. The particle size was determined with a laser diffraction method. X-ray powder diffraction was applied to inspect the potential crystal form transition. The aqueous solubility was determined by shaking flasks, and the dissolution behavior was evaluated using the paddle method. The pharmacokinetics was performed in beagle dogs in a crossover experimental design. Three nimodipine colloidal dispersions (16296.7, 4060.0 and 833.3 nm) were prepared, respectively. Nimodipine had undergone crystal form transition during microprecipitation process, but experienced no conversion under the high-pressure homogenization. The colloidal dispersions did not show any difference in aqueous equilibrium solubility. Additionally, the three formulations also displayed similar dissolution curves in purified water and 0.05% SDS. The AUC for dispersions of 4060.0 and 833.3 nm sizes was 1.69 and 2.59-fold higher than that for 16296.7 nm system in dogs. To sum up, the critical particle size was found to be within the range of 833.3-4060.0 nm (average volume-weighted particle size) in improving the bioavailability of nimodipine, and dissolution performance was not an effective index in evaluating the bioavailability for nimodipine colloidal dispersions.     

Enhanced oral bioavailability of dexibuprofen by a novel solid Self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS)

The main objective of this study was to prepare a solid form of lipid-based self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) by spray drying liquid SEDDS with an inert solid carrier Aerosil 200 to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drug dexibuprofen. The liquid SEDDS was a system that consisted of dexibuprofen, Labrasol, Capryol 90 and Labrafil M 1944 CS. The particle size analysis revealed no difference in the z-average particle diameter of the reconstituted emulsion between liquid and solid SEDDS. The solid SEDDS was characterized by SEM, DSC and XRD studies. In vivo results of solid SEDDS and dexibuprofen powder in rats at the dose of 10 mg/kg showed that the initial plasma concentrations of drug in solid SEDDS were significantly higher than those of dexibuprofen powder (P < 0.05). The solid SEDDS gave significantly higher AUC and Cmax than did dexibuprofen powder (P < 0.05). In particular, the AUC of solid SEDDS was about twofold higher than that of dexibuprofen powder. Our results suggested that this solid SEDDS could be used as an effective oral solid dosage form to improve the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drug dexibuprofen.     

Preparation,characterization and pharmacokinetic studies of total paeony glycoside nanocrystals

Total paeony glycoside (TPG) is obtained from Radix Paeoniae Rubra with a variety of bioactivities. However, the low solubility and bioavailability limit its application. The present study aimed to develop TPG nanocrystals to increase the dissolution and then improve the oral bioavailability. TPG nanocrystals were prepared via precipitation and high-pressure homogenization method. The physical-chemical properties of the optimal TPG nanocrystals in terms of particle size, zeta potential, morphology and crystallinity were evaluated. The results showed that TPG nanocrystals had a mean particle size of (210.2±2.5) nm, a polydispersity index of 0.191±0.033 and a zeta potential of (–22.4±1.2) mV. The result of differential scanning calorimetry showed that the nanocrystals were still in crystalline state after the preparation procedure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that the nanosuspension was in spherical shape. The pharmacokinetics of TPG nanocrystals for rats was investigated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). Compared with the TPG coarse suspension, TPG nanocrystals exhibited significant increase in AUC_0–∞ (approximately 1.85-fold). Taken together, TPG nanocrystals could be used as a promising drug delivery system due to the enhanced oral bioavailability of TPG.     

Enhanced bioavailability of rebamipide nanocrystal tablets: Formulation and in vitro/in vivo evaluation

The purpose of this study was to formulate rebamipide nanocrystal tablets (REB-NTs) by wet-milling technique to enhance its dissolution rate and oral bioavailability. The formulation and preparation technology were screened by single factor tests with particle size and distribution as indicators. Rebamipide nanocrystals (REB-NSs) was then achieved by freeze-dry from the prepared nanosuspensions which were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), while the vitro dissolution and the plasma drug concentration of the nanocrystal tablets were investigated. The results indicated that the prepared nanosuspensions got an average particle size of 286 nm, PI of 0.173 and the average Zeta potential of −18.2 mv. The average particle size of obtained REB-NSs’ redispersibility was 278 nm, and the crystalline of REB-NSs was the same as the rebamipide bulk drug as shown by DSC and XRD. The drug dissolution rate of self-made nanocrystal tablets in different dissolutions was slightly faster than that from the reference tablets, REB-MTs (Mucosta^®), while the C_max and AUC_0–24 of REB-NTs were 1 and 1.57 times higher than that of REB-MTs, which means the nanotechnology could significantly improve the oral bioavailability of rebamipide.     

Characterization and evaluation of self-microemulsifying sustained-release pellet formulation of puerarin for oral delivery

The present study aims to develop self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) in sustained-release pellets of puerarin to enhance the oral bioavailability of puerarin. The performances of puerarin-SMEDDS including oils, emulsifiers, and co-emulsifiers were evaluated. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams shows that the optimized formulation consisted of castor oil as the oil phase, Cremophor EL as the emulsifier, and 1,2-propanediol as the co-emulsifier. SMEDDS sustained-release pellets were prepared via extrusion-spheronization. The particle size distributions of the formulations were determined using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. The mean particle size was 50 ± 8 nm. The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of the puerarin-SMEDDS sustained-release pellets and puerarin tablets were evaluated and compared in beagle dogs. The absolute bioavailability of the puerarin-SMEDDS sustained-release pellets was enhanced by approximately 2.6-fold compared with that of the puerarin tablet. The relative bioavailability (F(rel)) of the SMEDDS pellets was 259.7% compared with the tablet group. The results demonstrated that the puerarin-SMEDDS sustained-release pellets had a sustained-release effect, and could remarkably improve the oral bioavailability of puerarin.     

Design of fenofibrate microemulsion for improved bioavailability

The objective of the present study was to formulate a microemulsion system for oral administration to improve the solubility and bioavailability of fenofibrate. Various formulations were prepared using different ratios of oils, surfactants and co-surfactants (S&CoS). Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed to evaluate the microemulsification existence area. The formulations were characterized by solubility of the drug in the vehicles, mean droplet size, and drug content. The stability was also investigated by store for 3 months under 4 °C, 25 °C and 40 °C and diluted 100 times for 3 days. The optimal formulation consists of 25% Capryol 90, 27.75% Cremophore EL, 9.25% Transcutol P and 38% water (w/w), with a maximum solubility of fenofibrate up to ∼40.96 mg/mL. The microemulsion was physicochemical stable and mean droplet size was about 32.5-41.7 nm. The pharmacokinetic study was performed in dogs and compared with Lipanthy^® capsule. The result showed that microemulsion has significantly increased the C_max and AUC compared to that of Lipanthy^® capsule (p < 0.05). The oral bioavailability of fenofibrate microemulsions (FEN-MEs) in ME-3 and ME-4 were 1.63 and 1.30-fold higher than that of the capsule. Our results indicated that the microemulsions could be used as an effective formulation for enhancing the oral bioavailability of fenofibrate.     

自微乳化给药系统增加索拉非尼的口服吸收生物利用度

目的:为了增加难溶性药物索拉非尼(Sorafenib)的口服吸收,本研究制备索拉非尼自微乳化给药系统并测定其口服相对生物利用度。方法:以油酸乙酯(20%,w/w)为油相,聚山梨酯-80(48%,w/w)为主要乳化剂,聚乙二醇400(16%,w/w)和乙醇(16%,w/w)为助乳化剂制备索拉非尼自微乳化给药系统,以大鼠为实验动物测定其口服相对生物利用度。结果:自微乳化给药系统中索拉非尼的终浓度为20 mg.mL-1。该制剂乳化后粒径为20～25 nm,并可在去离子水,生理盐水及5%葡萄糖溶液中稳定存在8 h。与索拉非尼混悬液相比,自微乳化给药系统可以显著增加索拉非尼的血药浓度-时间曲线下面积(AUC0～72 h),峰浓度(Cmax)和平均滞留时间(MRT),降低清除率(CL)。尤其是与口服混悬液相比,其相对生物利用度提高约25倍。结论:索拉非尼自微乳化给药系统可以显著提高索拉非尼的口服吸收相对生物利用度,有望开发成为增加其口服吸收的药物制剂。     

Eplerenone nanocrystals engineered by controlled crystallization for enhanced oral bioavailability

Poor aqueous solubility of eplerenone (EPL) is a major obstacle to achieve sufficient bioavailability after oral administration. In this study, we aimed to develop and evaluate eplerenone nanocrystals (EPL-NCs) for solubility and dissolution enhancement. D-optimal combined mixture process using Design-Expert software was employed to generate different combinations for optimization. EPL-NCs were prepared by a bottom-up, controlled crystallization technique during freeze-drying. The optimized EPL-NCs were evaluated for their size, morphology, thermal behavior, crystalline structure, saturation solubility, dissolution profile, in vivo pharmacokinetics, and acute toxicity. The optimized EPL-NCs showed mean particle size of 46.8 nm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of elongated parallelepiped shaped NCs. DSC and PXRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure and the absence of any polymorphic transition in EPL-NCs. Furthermore, EPL-NCs demonstrated a 17-fold prompt increase in the saturation solubility of EPL (8.96 vs. 155.85 µg/mL). The dissolution rate was also significantly higher as indicated by ∼95% dissolution from EPL-NCs in 10 min compared to only 29% from EPL powder. EPL-NCs improved the oral bioavailability as indicated by higher AUC, C_max, and lower T_max than EPL powder. Acute oral toxicity study showed that EPL-NCs do not pose any toxicity concern to the blood and vital organs. Consequently, NCs prepared by controlled crystallization technique present a promising strategy to improve solubility profile, dissolution velocity and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs.     

Kinetic solubility and dissolution velocity of rutin nanocrystals

Lyophilized rutin nanocrystals were intensively evaluated regarding their physicochemical properties with respect to particle size analyses, crystallinity, kinetic solubility and dissolution behavior. The particle size was determined by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and laser diffraction (LD). DSC and X-ray diffraction were used to study the crystalline state of rutin nanocrystals. In a period of 1 week, the kinetic solubility was determined using a shaker at 25 °C. DSC and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that lyophilized rutin nanocrystals prepared by high pressure homogenization remained in crystalline state. Lyophilized rutin nanocrystals could be re-dispersed completely in water and the kinetic solubility in water increased to 133 μg/ml.. Lyophilized rutin nanocrystals were almost completely dissolved within 15 min in water, buffer of pH 1.2 and buffer of pH 6.8. In contrast, only 70% of rutin raw material (rutin microcrystals) was dissolved within 15 min. The superior physicochemical properties of rutin nanocrystals should overcome the absorption problem in the gastrointestinal tract and increase the bioavailability.     

Alginate coated chitosan core shell nanoparticles for oral delivery of enoxaparin: In vitro and in vivo assessment

The objective of present research work was to develop alginate coated chitosan core shell nanoparticles (Alg-CS-NPs) for oral delivery of low molecular weight heparin, enoxaparin. Chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) were synthesized by ionic gelation of chitosan using sodium tripolyphosphate. Core shell nanoparticles were prepared by coating CS-NPs with alginate solution under mild agitation. The Alg-CS-NPs were characterized for surface morphology, surface coating, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug loading and entrapment efficiency using SEM, Zeta-sizer, FTIR and DSC techniques. Alginate coating increased the size of optimized chitosan nanoparticles from around 213 nm to about 335 nm as measured by dynamic light scattering in zeta sizer and further confirmed by SEM analysis. The performance of optimized enoxaparin loaded Alg-CS-NPs was evaluated by in vitro drug release studies, in vitro permeation study across intestinal epithelium, in vivo venous thrombosis model, particulate uptake by intestinal epithelium using fluorescence microscopy and pharmacokinetic studies in rats. Coating of alginate over the CS-NPs improved the release profile of enoxaparin from the nanoparticles for successful oral delivery. In vitro permeation studies elucidated that more than 75% enoxaparin permeated across the intestinal epithelium with Alg-CS-NPs. The Alg-CS-NPs significantly increased (p < 0.05) the oral bioavailability of enoxaparin in comparison to plain enoxaparin solution as revealed by threefold increase in AUC of plasma drug concentration time curve and around 60% reduction in thrombus formation in rat venous thrombosis model. The core shell Alg-CS-NPs showed promising potential for oral delivery and significantly enhanced the in vivo oral absorption of enoxaparin.     

Felodipine nanosuspension: a faster in vitro dissolution rate and higher oral absorption efficiency

In the present work, nanocrystals were prepared to improve oral bioavailability of felodipine. Several important formulation factors and process parameters were explored, optimized and analyzed systematically. The prepared nanocrystals were characterized for morphology, particle size, zeta potential, possible crystallization changes, release behavior and oral absorption. The morphology of the obtained nanocrystals was found to be rod shape. The particle size and zeta potential were 140 ± 10 nm and -29.11 mV, respectively. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that felodipine had undergone crystal form transition. The dissolution rate of felodipine was significantly increased and the AUC_0 -t value of felodipine colloidal dispersion in beagle dogs was approximately 1.6-fold greater than that of the commercial tablets. Nanocrystals impose a faster dissolution rate and higher oral absorption efficiency than raw crystals, and show great potential as an effective strategy for improving oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.     

Particle size reduction for improvement of oral bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs: I. Absolute oral bioavailability of nanocrystalline danazol in beagle dogs

Danazol is a poorly water soluble compound (10 μg/ml) that demonstrates poor bioavailability. The impact on bioavailability of increasing the area for dissolution by decreasing drug crystal particle size to less than 200 nm and stabilizing the particles to prevent agglomeration in the GI tract has been evaluated. A randomized three-way crossover study was conducted in fasted male beagle dogs to compare absolute oral bioavailability of danazol from three formulations. The three formulations examined were: A, an aqueous dispersion of nanoparticulate danazol (mean particle size 169 nm); B, danazol-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPB) complex; C, an aqueous suspension of conventional danazol particles (mean particle size 10 μm). The three formulations were administered (200 mg) at 1 week intervals, and a fourth leg was conducted using intravenous danazol-HPB at a dose of 3 mg/kg. Plasma samples were obtained over the course of 24 h and analyzed by SPE-HPLC. Absolute oral bioavailability of each formulation was determined by comparison of oral AUC values to intravenous AUC values in the same dog, normalized to a 20 mg/kg dose. Absolute bioavailabilities of the three formulations were: nanoparticulate danazol, 82.3 ± 10.1%; cyclodextrin complex, 106.7 ± 12.3%; conventional danazol suspension, 5.1 ± 1.9%. The bioavailabilities of nanoparticle dispersion and cyclodextrin complex are not significantly different (P = 0.05) suggesting that the nanoparticle dispersion had overcome the dissolution rate limited bioavailabilty observed with conventional suspensions of danazol. This approach should have general applicability to many poorly soluble drugs with dissolution rate-limited absorption.     

Effect of particle size on oral bioavailability of darunavir-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles

The present investigation aimed to study the effect of particle size of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) on oral bioavailability of darunavir. High pressure homogenisation technique was used to prepare SLNs. Three different sized SLNs loaded with darunavir were developed with mean particle sizes of around 100?nm, 200?nm and 500?nm, respectively. The in vivo pharmacokinetics in rats showed a significant increase in oral bioavailability of darunavir from all the three formulations in comparison to plain drug suspension and reference tablet. The results revealed insignificant difference between SLNs of 100 and 200?nm and these had significantly higher bioavailability in comparison to SLNs of 500?nm. However, more number of homogenisation cycles is required for obtaining 100?nm and thus we selected 200?nm as an optimum size for oral bioavailability enhancement of darunavir. The optimised SLN formulation was stable for a period of 6 months at 25?±?2?°C/60?±?5% relative humidity (RH).     

Analysis of co-spray-dried meloxicam-mannitol systems containing crystalline microcomposites

The crystal size, form, wettability and rate of dissolution of a drug are factors limiting its nasal or pulmonary administration. The aim of this work was to achieve an ideal crystal habit, good wettability and the rapid release of meloxicam (MEL), a poorly water-soluble non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The structures of MEL and the carrier-based systems were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The particle size and morphology were investigated by laser diffraction and SEM analyses. The novelty of this work was the use of a co-spray-drying technique, which resulted in mannitol-based crystalline microcomposites (1-6 μm) containing MEL microcrystals (1-5 μm). The particle size and form of the MEL microcrystals were adjusted by a top-down method. The presence of mannitol (with a MEL:mannitol mass ratio of 1:1) with additives ensured the homogeneous distribution of MEL in the microcomposites with good wettability and rapid release (100% MEL within 5 min).     

The contribution of absorption of integral nanocrystals to enhancement of oral bioavailability of quercetin

In this study, self-discriminating hybrid nanocrystals was utilized to explore the biological fate of quercetin hybrid nanocrystals (QT-HNCs) with diameter around 280 nm (QT-HNCs-280) and 550 nm (QT-HNCs-550) following oral and intravenous administration and the contribution of integral nanocrystals to oral bioavailability enhancement of QT was estimated by comparing the absolute exposure of integral QT-HNCs and total QT in the liver. Results showed that QT-HNCs could reside in vivo as intact nanocrystals for as long as 48 h following oral and intravenous administration. A higher accumulation of integral QT-HNCs in liver and lung was observed for both oral and intravenous administration of QT-HNCs. The particle size affects the absorption and biodistribution of integral QT-HNCs and total QT. As compared to QT-HNCs-550, QT-HNCs-280 with smaller particle size is more easily absorbed, but dissolves faster in vivo, leading to higher distribution of QT (146.90 vs. 117.91 h·μg/mL) but lower accumulation of integral nanocrystals (6.8 2e10 vs. 15.27e10 h·[p/s]/[µW/cm²]) in liver following oral administration. Due to its slower dissolution and enhanced recognition by RES, QT-HNCs-550 with larger diameter shows higher liver distribution for both of QT (1015.80 h·μg/mL) and integral nanocrystals (259.63e10 h·[p/s]/[µW/cm²]) than those of QT-HNCs-280 (673.82 & 77.66e10 h·[p/s]/[µW/cm²]) following intravenous administration. The absolute exposure of integral QT-HNCs in liver following oral administration of QT-HNCs are 8.78% for QT-HNCs-280 and 5.88% for QT-HNCs-550, while the absolute exposure of total QT for QT-HNCs-280 and QT-HNCs-550 are 21.80% and 11.61%, respectively. Owing to imprecise quantification method, a surprisingly high contribution of integral QT-HNCs to oral bioavailability enhancement of QT (40.27% for QT-HNCs-280 and 50.65% for QT-HNCs-550) was obtained. These results revealed significant difference in absorption and biodistrbution between integral nanocrystals and overall drugs following oral and intravenous administration of QT-HNCs, and provided a meaningful reference for the contribution of integral nanocrystals to overall bioavailability enhancement.     

Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system of persimmon leaf extract: Optimization and bioavailability studies

In current study, a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) leaf extract (PLE) was developed and characterized to compare its in vitro dissolution and relative bioavailability with commercially available tablets (Naoxinqing tablets). Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed by phase diagram by micro plate dilution (PDMPD) method, of which the evaluation method was improved to use Multiskan Ascent for identifying turbidity. The formulation of PLE-loaded SNEDDS was optimized by an extreme vertices experimental design. The optimized nanoemulsion formulation, loading with 44.48 mg/g PLE total flavonoids, consisted of Cremophor EL, Transcutol P, Labrafil M 1944 CS (56:34:10, w/w), and it remained stable after storing at 40 °C, 25 °C, 4 °C for at least 6 months. When diluted with water, the SNEDDS droplet size was 34.85 nm and the zeta potential was −6.18 mV. Compared with the commercial tablets, the AUC of both quercetin and kaempferol, which are representative active flavonoids of PLE, was increased by 1.5-fold and 1.6-fold respectively following oral administration of PLE-loaded SNEDDS in fasting beagle dogs. These results indicate that SNEDDS is a promising drug delivery system for increasing the oral bioavailability of PLE.     

基于马来酰亚胺基团的肠道黏附纳米粒对改善药物口服生物利用度的研究

目的 探索基于马来酰亚胺与肠道黏蛋白共价结合的肠道黏附纳米粒对药物口服生物利用度的影响,构建新型纳米载体用于增强药物口服吸收.方法 通过乳化溶剂挥发法制备包载荧光剂香豆素6的马来酰亚胺肠道黏附纳米粒,对制备的黏附纳米粒与非黏附聚乳酸-羟基乙酸共聚物[poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid),PLGA]...     

Fabrication of quercetin nanocrystals: Comparison of different methods

The main aim of this study was to prepare quercetin nanocrystals using three fabrication methods, viz. high-pressure homogenization, bead milling, and cavi-precipitation. The three fabrication methods were compared in terms of particle size, saturation solubility, and dissolution of the products obtained. The average particle size of the coarse quercetin was 50.1 μm. The three methods produced quercetin particles in the nanometre range (276-787 nm) and the smallest nanocrystals of around 276.7 nm were fabricated by bead milling. The particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, and saturation solubility values for the products fabricated by both high-pressure homogenization and bead mill were similar and thus both represented an efficient means to fabricate quercetin nanosuspensions. According to X-ray diffraction analysis, all nanocrystals were still in the crystalline state after being fabricated by the three methods. The cavi-precipitated product exhibited larger particle size and did not show an optimum stability as suggested by the zeta potential values. However, cavi-precipitated quercetin nanosuspension showed the higher saturation solubility due to the presence of ethanol. The bead milled products with the lowest particle size exhibited a saturation solubility of 25.59 ± 1.11 μg/ml, approximately nine times higher than coarse quercetin. Overall, the dissolution rates of the quercetin nanosuspensions fabricated by these three methods enhanced compared to the coarse quercetin.     

Determination of puerarin in rabbit aqueous humor by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry using microdialysis sampling after topical administration of puerarin PAMAM dendrimer complex

To study pharmacokinetic properties of puerarin poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimer complex, a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated to determine puerarin in rabbit aqueous humor using microdialysis sampling. Astilbin was used as the internal standard. The linear range for puerarin was from 2 to 1000 ng/mL (r = 0.9986) based on 20 μL of aqueous humor. The coefficients of variations for intra-day and inter-day precisions were less than 10.0%, and the relative error of accuracy was within ±6.3%. The mean extraction recovery of puerarin varied from 80.4% to 85.5%. Microdialysis provides a complete concentration versus time profile. A significant difference was observed in main pharmacokinetic parameters of C_max, AUC and t_1/2 between puerarin solution and puerarin PAMAM dendrimer complex. Complex formation resulted in an obvious increase in bioavailability of puerarin after topical administration to rabbit according to the above LC-MS/MS assay method.     

Preparation, characterization and in vivo assessment of the bioavailability of glycyrrhizic acid microparticles by supercritical anti-solvent process

In this study, glycyrrhizic acid (GA) microparticles were successfully prepared using a supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) process. Carbon dioxide and ethanol were used as the anti-solvent and solvent, respectively. The influences of several process parameters on the mean particle size (MPS), particle size distribution (PSD) and total yield were investigated. Processed particle sizes gradually decreased as temperature and solution flow rate increased. In addition, processed particle sizes increased from 119 to 205 nm as GA concentration increased. However, CO₂ flow rate did not significantly affect particle size. The optimized process conditions were applied, those included temperature (65 °C), pressure (250 bar), CO₂ and drug solution flow rate (15 and 8 mL min⁻¹), drug concentration in ethanol (20 mg mL⁻¹). Microparticles with a span of PSD ranging from 95 and 174 nm, MPS of 128 nm were obtained, and total yield was 63.5%. The X-ray diffraction patterns of glycyrrhizic acid microparticles show apparent amorphous nature. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy results show that no chemical structural changes occurred. The in vitro dissolution tests showed that the GA microparticles exhibited great enhancement of dissolution performance when compared to GA original drug. Furthermore, the in vivo studies revealed that the microparticles provided improved pharmacokinetic parameter after oral administration to rats as compared with original drug.