Preparation, Characterization, and In Vivo Evaluation of Amorphous Icaritin Nanoparticles Prepared by a Reactive Precipitation Technique

Icaritin is a promising anti-hepatoma drug that is currently being tested in a phase-III clinical trial. A novel combination of amorphization and nanonization was used to enhance the oral bioavailability of icaritin. Amorphous icaritin nanoparticles (AINs) were prepared by a reactive precipitation technique (RPT). Fourier transform infrared spectrometry was used to investigate the mechanism underlying the formation of amorphous nanoparticles. AINs were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Our prepared AINs were also evaluated for their dissolution rates in vitro and oral bioavailability. The resultant nanosized AINs (64 nm) were amorphous and exhibited a higher dissolution rate than that derived from a previous oil-suspension formulation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed that the C=O groups from the hydrophilic chain of polymers and the OH groups from icaritin formed hydrogen bonds that inhibited AIN crystallization and aggregation. Furthermore, an oral administration assay in beagle dogs showed that Cmax and AUClast of the dried AINs formulation were 3.3-fold and 4.5-fold higher than those of the oil-suspension preparation (p < 0.01), respectively. Our results demonstrate that the preparation of amorphous drug nanoparticles via our RPT may be a promising technique for improving the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs.