Design and Development of Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System to Improve the Solubility and Bioavailability of Ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin, a potent fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is used to treat various bacterial infections. This drug has low aqueous solubility and limited oral bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, this study focused on developing a Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System (SEDDS) for Ciprofloxacin, aiming to enhance its solubility and bioavailability. The formulation process involved selecting silicone oil, Tween 80, propylene glycol (PG), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the core components based on solubility studies. The optimization of SEDDS formulations was guided by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams, which helped in identifying the effective self-emulsifying regions and determining the optimal ratios of surfactant and co-surfactant. Evaluation of the SEDDS formulations involved droplet size and zeta potential measurements alongside Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, confirming drug-excipient compatibility and successful drug incorporation. The F2 and F5 formulations exhibited droplet sizes of 320 nm and 202 nm, respectively, with corresponding zeta potentials of -11.4 mV and -13.38 mV, indicative of stability. Release studies showed an initial rapid release, with 88.2% released from F5 within the first 2 h, followed by a sustained release, reaching 93.1% after 5 h. The current formulations significantly improve the drug's solubility and bioavailability.