Solubility and Micronization of Ganciclovir

Abstract

Ganciclovir (GCV) is only slightly soluble in water and hence oral GCV gives low absolute bioavailability. Liquid precipitation is an effective way to prepare micro-sized drug particles. The solubility of GCV in several solvents or in aqueous solution at different pH values was determined. According to its solubility behavior, reactive precipitation was suggested as the micronization method of GCV. The mean particle diameter of micronized GCV powder was around 15~20 μm, smaller than that of raw GCV powder, and the size distribution of micronized GCV was narrower than that of raw GCV. The stirring rate, the type and addition of stabilizing agents seemed to have no significant effect on the particle size of micronized GCV. Micronized GCV showed much faster dissolution rate than raw GCV.