1SMBT College of Pharmacy, Dhamangaon, Nashik. Affiliated to Savitribai Phule University, Pune, Maharashtra.
Ibuprofen is a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its therapeutic effectiveness may be limited by poor aqueous solubility and slow dissolution. The present study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and in vivo pharmacological activity of recrystallized ibuprofen formulations prepared using polymer-assisted crystallization. Ibuprofen crystals were prepared by ethanol recrystallization in the presence of polymer additives, including hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Poloxamer 188. The prepared crystals were characterized using particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), zeta potential measurement, and in vitro dissolution studies to assess changes in morphology, crystallinity, and surface properties. The recrystallized formulations exhibited reduced particle size, modified crystal morphology, and improved dissolution behavior compared with pure ibuprofen. The pharmacological activities of the formulations were evaluated in Wistar rats using carrageenan-induced paw edema and xylene-induced ear edema models for anti-inflammatory activity, and hot plate and acetic acid-induced writhing tests for analgesic activity. Among the tested formulations, the IBU–Poloxamer 188 crystals demonstrated the highest inhibition of paw edema (40.85%) at 180 min and produced significant analgesic effects in both hot plate and writhing models. The xylene-induced ear edema model also showed improved anti-inflammatory activity for polymer-assisted crystals. Overall, the results suggest that polymer-assisted recrystallization modifies the physicochemical properties of ibuprofen crystals and enhances their pharmacological performance, likely due to improved dissolution and wettability.
Keywords: Ibuprofen, Polymer-assisted crystallization, Anti-inflammatory activity, Analgesic activity, Wistar rats.
How to cite this article: Narkhede M, Rajguru A. In-Vivo Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Evaluation of Polymer-Assisted Ibuprofen Crystals in Wistar Rats. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 470-488. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.56
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None