title: Nanostructured hybrids for the improvement of folic acid biopharmaceutical properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Folic acid (FA) is an important source for the prevention of many diseases. However, its use is limited because the very low solubility (<10 mg/l particularly in the gastric environment) responsible for the incomplete adsorption of the administered dose. This study proposes a technological strategy to overcome this problem enhancing FA dissolution rate by means of a formulation able to make completely bioavailable the whole administered dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  Folic acid was intercalated in the layered double hydroxides (LDHs) MgAl-LDH and ZnAl-LDH. The obtained inorganic-organic nanostructured hybrids MgAl-LDH-FA and ZnAl-LDH-FA were deeply characterized and used to prepare immediate release tablets presenting very simple compositions. The hybrids, both as simple powders and as tablets, were submitted to in-vitro release studies mimic the gastric environment conducted both in sink and non-sink conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Folic acid release from hybrids, as single powders or as tablets, resulted enhanced in both experiments in comparison with crystalline FA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obtained results showed that FA-LDH nanostructured hybrids are a promising strategy able to enhance the active ingredient dissolution at low pH values representing a promising approach suitable to realize innovative and effective nutraceutical products.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Via del Liceo, Perugia, Italy. cinziapagano82@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Via del Liceo, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tiralti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche Via del Liceo, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perioli
mesh_terms: D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D001702:Biopharmaceutics / Q000379:methods*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry; D006878:Hydroxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011208:Powders; D012995:Solubility; D013607:Tablets; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D006878:Hydroxides; D011208:Powders; D013607:Tablets; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C013591:aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, drug combination; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide; D005492:Folic Acid; D008276:Magnesium Hydroxide; C052745:zinc hydroxide
keywords: dissolution enhancement; folic acid; hydrotalcite; nanostructured hybrids; tablets