Various Solvent Systems for Solubility Enhancement of Enrofloxacin

Solubility enhancement of antimicrobial drug enrofloxacin has been studied using a series of co-solvents and surfactants. Aqueous solubility of enrofloxacin could be increased up to 26 times. Co-solvents alone produced only small increase in solubility. However, the combined effect of co-solvents and buffer was synergistic and a large increase in solubility could be attained. Ionic surfactants were found to be much better solubilizing agents than non-ionic surfactant. Amongst ionic surfactants, solubility was found to be very high in anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulphate as compared to the cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Up to 3.8 mg/ml of enrofloxacin could be dissolved in sodium dodecylsulphate. Mechanism of solubilization has been proposed and surfactant solubilization parameters have been calculated.