Improved oral bioavailability of probucol by dry media-milling

•Simple, solvent-free method to fabricate probucol co-milled mixture•Firstly introduce copovidone in dry-media milling to obtain better dissolution.•Ternary mixture used to facilitate amorphous probucol grinding mixture•Obviously improved probucol dissolution and oral bioavailability

The polymer/probucol co-milled mixtures were prepared to improve drug dissolution rate and oral bioavailability. Probucol, a BCS II drug, was co-milled together with Copovidone (Kollidon VA64, VA64), Soluplus, or MCC using the dry media-milling process with planetary ball-milling equipment. The properties of the milled mixtures including morphology, crystal form, vitro drug dissolution and in vivo oral bioavailability in rats were evaluated. Probucol existed as an amorphous in the matrix of the co-milled mixtures containing VA64, which helped to enhance drug dissolution. The ternary mixture composed of VA64, RH40, and probucol showed increased dissolution rates in both sink and non-sink conditions. It also had a higher oral bioavailability compared to the reference formulation. Dry-media milling of binary or ternary mixtures composed of drug, polymer and surfactant possibly have wide applications to improve dissolution rate and oral bioavailability of water-insoluble drugs.