Hydrotropy as a Tool for Enhancing Mefenamic Acid Solubility: A Comprehensive Study

Background

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, including mefenamic acid, are commonly used for the relief of moderate to serious pain. However, their poor water solubility affects their bioavailability and potential therapeutic benefit. Improving the solubility of these poorly soluble medications is essential for optimizing their therapeutic efficacy. The use of hydrotropic agents, or hydrotropy, has become a popular method for improving solubility.

Materials and Methods

Argon Remedies Pvt. Ltd., an Indian company, provided the mefenamic acid. The hydrotropic drugs that were chosen were sodium acetate, sodium salicylate and resorcinol. Using Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), the medication was analyzed. The solubility investigations involved the preparation of hydrotropic solutions with various levels of concentration (10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) and the use of UV/Vis spectrophotometry to ascertain the equilibrium dissolution of mefenamic acid in these solutions. It was determined if hydrotropic substances affected spectrophotometric estimation.

Results

Mefenamic acid's thermal stability and functional groups were validated by DSC and IR studies. According to equilibrium solubility measurements, sodium acetate, resorcinol and sodium salicylate, all at 40% concentration, gave the highest solubility enhancement ratio of 22.9. The spectrophotometric estimation of mefenamic acid was not affected by the hydrotropic agents. Mefenamic acid formulations including the chosen hydrotropic agents demonstrated a notable increase in solubility when compared to the medication by itself.

Conclusion

Mefenamic acid's solubility is greatly increased by hydrotropy and the most efficient hydrotropic agent is sodium salicylate. This approach provides a viable and effective substitute for enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness and bioavailability of poorly soluble medications, such as mefenamic acid, which may result in higher compliance among patients and clinical results.