IUCrJ (Nov 2020)

Cortisone and cortisol break hydrogen-bonding rules to make a drug–prodrug solid solution

  • Vivek Verma,
  • Simone Bordignon,
  • Michele R. Chierotti,
  • Monica Lestari,
  • Kieran Lyons,
  • Luis Padrela,
  • Kevin M. Ryan,
  • Matteo Lusi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1107/S2052252520013263
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 6
pp. 1124 – 1130

Abstract

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Multidrug products enable more effective therapies and simpler administration regimens, provided that a stable formulation is prepared, with the desired composition. In this view, solid solutions have the advantage of combining the stability of a single crystalline phase with the potential of stoichiometry variation of a mixture. Here a drug–prodrug solid solution of cortisone and cortisol (hydrocortisone) is described. Despite the structural differences of the two components, the new phase is obtained both from solution and by supercritical CO2 assisted spray drying. In particular, to enter the solid solution, hydrocortisone must violate Etter's rules for hydrogen bonding. As a result, its dissolution rate is almost doubled.

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