Studies on enhancement of dissolution rate of etoposide

Dissolution is the rate-limiting step in the absorption of drugs from solid dosage forms. This is to be focused especially when the drug is poorly soluble. Etoposide is a poorly soluble drug and its absorption is dissolution rate limited. The present study is aimed at improving the dissolution of etoposide. Solid dispersions of drug with surfactants were prepared by using kneading technique. Kneading technique is more applicable to industry. Surfactants such as cetrimide, sodium lauryl sulphate, Tween 80 and Cremophor RH40 were used in different proportions. Etoposide gave faster dissolution rates when Cremophor RH40 was used. The DSC thermograms and IR spectra revealed no interaction of etoposide with these surfactants and no degradation in etoposide molecule was observed.