Lin, Zezhi, et al. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 624 (2022): 122035.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a common surfactant in dissolution testing, is typically employed to enhance the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs and maintain sink conditions. However, this study reveals an unexpected inhibitory effect of 0.1% SLS on the dissolution of crystalline lurasidone hydrochloride (LH), a BCS II drug. Detailed characterization using polarized light microscopy (PLM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) confirmed the formation of an insoluble single-phase amorphous LH-SLS complex during dissolution.
This complex arises from multiple intermolecular interactions, including electrostatic forces, tetrel bonding, and hydrophobic effects. The amorphous LH-SLS undergoes a glass transition at 35.2 °C, shifting from a glassy state to a viscous supercooled liquid, resulting in gel formation that significantly suppresses LH dissolution. Intriguingly, the solubility profile of LH in SLS solutions exhibits a V-shaped curve with the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of SLS marking an inflection point. Beyond the CMC, increased micelle formation attenuates gelation, enhancing LH solubility.
A novel mitigation strategy based on competitive molecular interactions was developed, successfully alleviating the surfactant-induced dissolution inhibition. This work advances understanding of surfactant-drug complexation effects and provides practical approaches to optimize dissolution conditions for poorly soluble drugs in the presence of surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate.