Investigation of drug-cyclodextrin complexes by a phase-distribution method: Some theoretical and practical considerations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate an octanol-water phase distribution method for investigation of drug/cyclodextrin (D/CD) complexes and to compare stability constant values obtained by this method to values obtained by the phase solubility method. A general equation for determination of 1 : 1 D/CD complex stability constant (K_{1 : 1}) from the slope of a phase-distribution diagram (a diagram of the reciprocal of the apparent partition coefficient vs. the total CD concentration) was derived. The equation accounted for the possible inclusion of the organic solvent in the CD cavity and the gradual saturation of the CD binding with increasing concentration of the guest compound. This method was used to determine K_{1 : 1} for 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) complexes of hydrocortisone, prednisolone, diazepam, β-estradiol and diethylstilbestrol. These values were comparable to K_{1 : 1} values determined by the phase-solubility method. The phase-distribution method could also be applied to determine stability constants for the neutral and ionic forms of the weakly acidic drugs, naproxen and triclosan and the weakly basic drug lidocaine. The phase-distribution method is a very versatile and fast method and has the advantage, compared to the phase-solubility method, that it only requires very small drug samples. Thus, this method would be suitable for screening of new drug candidates.