Oral tablet formulations containing cyclodextrin complexes of poorly water soluble cefdinir to enhance its bioavailability

Abstract Cefdinir (CFD) is an oral cephalosporin antibiotic commonly used in the treatment of community-acquired infections. The oral bioavailability of CFD is limited due to its poor aqueous solubility. Cyclodextrins (CyDs) and their chemically modified derivatives are used in the pharmaceutical field to form inclusion complexes with drug molecules to improve their aqueous solubility as well as stability and to prevent side effects. In this study, CFD was complexed with CyDs such as β-cyclodextrin (β-CyD), γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CyD), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CyD), and sulphobutyl ether 7-β-cyclodextrin (SBE7-β-CyD) to increase its aqueous solubility and to reduce its side effects without decreasing the antimicrobial activity. Phase solubility studies were performed and the stability constant of the CFD:CyD inclusion complexes was determined. The solubility of CFD was increased after complexation with CyDs as indicated by phase solubility studies, in the order β-CD