Thesis (M.Sc. in Pharm.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2004

To enhance the solubility of meloxicam, which was sparingly soluble in water, by co-spray drying and co-freeze drying with beta-cyclodextrin in the molar ratio 1:1 and 1:2 (meloxicam: beta-cyclodextrin). From the phase solubility study, it was found that the phase solubility diagram of meloxicam in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin could be classified as B[subscript S]-type which the solubility of meloxicam increased as the increasing concentration of beta-cyclodextrin until reached the plateau and then decreased by the limited solubility of complexes. The physicochemical properties were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that the meloxicam-beta-cyclodextrin complex prepared by spray drying technique, existed in an amorphous form which might be caused by the spray drying process. The meloxicam-beta-cyclodextrin complex prepared by freeze drying technique, expressed an amorphous form which might be attributed to the interruption of sodium hydroxide in a rearrangement of the complex. The dissolution studies which operated in deionized water, 0.1 N HCl pH 1.2, and phosphate buffer solutions pH 6.8 revealed that the use of co-spray drying and co-freeze drying with [beta]-cyclodextrin in the molar ratio 1:1 and 1:2 could significantly enhance the dissolution of meloxicam tablet in those media in comparison to plain meloxicam tablet and commercial meloxicam tablet.