title: Synergistic role of self-emulsifying lipids and nanostructured porous silica particles in optimizing the oral delivery of lovastatin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of self-emulsifying lipids and porous silica particles in enhancing supersaturated drug loading and biopharmaceutical performance of nanostructured silica-lipid hybrid (SLH) systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two lovastatin (LOV)-SLHs were engineered from self-emulsifying lipid (Gelucire(®) 44/14; Gattefossé, Lyon, France) and Aerosil(®) 380 (SLH-A; Evonik Industries, Essen, Germany) or Syloid(®) 244FP silica (SLH-S; Grace Davison Discovery Sciences, Rowville, Australia).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LOV-SLHs encapsulated LOV at 10% w/w, which is ≥3-fold higher than typical lipid formulations in the absence of porous silica. The LOV-SLHs retained self-emulsifying lipid-associated solubilization benefits and improved drug solubilization by twofold in simulated intestinal condition. SLH-S, with larger surface area (299 m(2)/g), was superior to SLH-A (184 m(2)/g) in optimizing oral bioavailability, suggesting a critical role of the silica geometry. Bioavailability of SLH-S was 2.8- and 1.3-fold higher than pure drug and drug suspension in Gelucire 44/14, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, SLHs profit from advantages associated with both self-emulsifying lipids and porous silica, and provide potentially improved therapy against coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, Australia, 5095.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: Clive A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Prestidge
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D016062:Porosity; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D008148:Lovastatin
keywords: bioavailability; lovastatin; oral delivery; porous silica particle; self-emulsifying lipid; silica–lipid hybrid