Taste Masked Quinine Sulphate Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Flexible Pediatric Dosing

Introduction: Quinine Sulphate is an antimalarial agent usually indicated in the treatment of chloroquine resistant malaria. Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to prepare quinine sulphate loaded solid lipid nanoparticles by ultrasonic solvent emulsification technique using different surfactants (Tween 80, Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188) in order to mask the bitter taste, thereby improving patient compliance and to provide dose precision and a flexible system that allows dose adaptation according to the body weight. Method: Glyceryl monostearate was used as a lipid (drug to lipid ratio 1:3). The prepared solid lipid nanoparticles were characterized for various parameters like particle size and shape, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, In vitro evaluation of taste masking efficiency, In vitro drug release, In vitro drug release kinetics. Results and discussion: The mean hydrodynamic diameter of the particle decreased whereas the entrapment efficiency increased with an increase in the surfactant concentration. Higher surfactant concentration showed faster In vitro release. The formulations showed negligible release at pH 6.8 and almost 100% release at pH 1.2, which is desirable so as to mask the taste by delaying the release during administration without hampering the drug release in stomach. Formulation F9 containing 2% w/v poloxamer 188 was selected as the optimized formulation as it showed high entrapment efficiency and negligible release in Simulated Salivary Fluid (SSF) pH 6.8 when compared to pure drug but showed almost 100% release at pH 1.2. Conclusion: It can be concluded that quinine sulphate was proven to be a suitable candidate for formulating solid lipid nanoparticles to achieve better patient compliance among pediatric and geriatric populations by masking the bitter taste and avoiding the difficulty in swallowing.