Exploratory study on physicochemical properties of nitazoxanide nanocrystalline suspension obtained by evaporative solvent-antisolvent technique

Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug with low bioavailability due to its poor aqueous solubility, classified as a Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) class II drug. This study aimed to improve the understanding of NTZ nanocrystalline suspensions produced via the solvent-antisolvent technique. NTZ was extracted from commercially available coated tablets and characterized using DSC, TG, UV-Vis, and FTIR, revealing the presence of impurities likely from excipients. Nanocrystalline suspensions were prepared using three different stabilizers (Lecithin, Poloxamer 188, and Tween® 80) and evaluated for particle size distribution (PSD) and polydispersity index (PDI) over a one-week stability study. Poloxamer 188 was the most effective in reducing particle size (934.7 nm), though Lecithin achieved a more favorable PDI (0.289), indicating better particle uniformity. These findings suggest the solvent-antisolvent technique is a promising approach for producing NTZ nanocrystalline suspensions, but further reduction in particle size and exploration of alternative stabilizers are needed to optimize stability and performance.