Development of nano structured graphene oxide incorporated dexamethasone with enhanced dissolution

We present the development of nanographene oxide (nGO) incorporated dexamethasone (DXM) composites (DXM-nGO) with enhanced aqueous solubility. Antisolvent precipitation was used for successful incorporation of nGO into DXM, a popular COVID-19 drug. The study focuses on morphology and dissolution performance of the formulated DXM-nGO, which were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In vitro dissolution profile showed that for a DXM-nGO containing 0.5% nGO showed that time for 50% dissolution (T₅₀) dropped from 39 min to 24 min, while time for 80% dissolution (T₈₀) went from not dissolved state to 56 min for the same composite. In general, the nGO incorporation into DXM showed enhanced solubility, and in vitro dissolution data suggest that the nGO may be a candidate for successful bioavailability improvement.