Nanonization of poorly water-soluble drug clobetasone butyrate by using femtosecond laser

Abstract Nanonization, which involves the formation of the drug with nanometer particle size, is an effective method to improve the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. A pulsewidth-tunable femtosecond laser was used to produce nanoparticles of clobetasone butyrate using poloxamer 188 as stabilizing agent. The effects of temperature and pulsewidth on the particle size and concentration were studied for the first time. The particle size and drug concentration dependence on the laser intensity and irradiation time were also investigated. Permeability test releaved that laser nanonization improved the drug permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayer. This laser nanonization method has a great potential to be used for new drug development.