Fractal Aspects of Static and Dynamic Flow Properties of Pharmaceutical Excipients

Lactose in tablets: Functionality, critical material attributes, applications, modifications and co-processed excipients

Lactose is one of the most widespread excipients used in the pharmaceutical industry. Because of its water solubility and acceptable flowability, lactose is generally added into tablet formulation to improve wettability and undesirable flowability. Based on Quality by Design, a better understanding of the critical material attributes (CMAs) of raw materials is beneficial in guiding the improvement of tablet quality and the development of lactose. Additionally, the modifications and co-processing of lactose can introduce more-desirable characteristics to the resulting particles. This review focuses on the functionality, CMAs, applications, modifications and co-processing of lactose in tablets.

Flow Equations for Free-Flowable Particle Fractions of Sorbitol for Direct Compression: An Exploratory Multiple Regression Analysis of Particle and Orifice Size Influence

Highlights

Abstract

Flowability is among the most important properties of powders, especially when fine particle size fractions need to be processed. In this study, our goal was to find a possibly simple but accurate mathematical model for predicting the mass flow rate for different fractions of the pharmaceutical excipient sorbitol for direct compression. Various regression models derived from the Jones–Pilpel equation for the prediction of the mass flow rate were investigated. Using validation with experimental data for various particle and hopper orifice sizes, we focused on the prediction accuracy of the respective models, i.e., on the relative difference between measured and model-predicted values. Classical indicators of regression quality from statistics were addressed as well, but we consider high prediction accuracy to be particularly important for industrial processing in practice. For individual particle size fractions, the best results (an average prediction accuracy of 3.8%) were obtained using simple regression on orifice size. However, for higher accuracy (3.1%) in a unifying model, valid in the broad particle size range 0.100–0.346 mm, a fully quadratic model, incorporating interaction between particle and orifice size, appears to be most appropriate.

Comparison of Flow and Compression Properties of Four Lactose-Based Co-Processed Excipients: Cellactose® 80, CombiLac®, MicroceLac® 100, and StarLac®

The utilization of co-processed excipients (CPEs) represents a novel approach to the preparation of orally disintegrating tablets by direct compression. Flow, consolidation, and compression properties of four lactose-based CPEs—Cellactose^® 80, CombiLac^®, MicroceLac^® 100, and StarLac^®—were investigated using different methods, including granulometry, powder rheometry, and tablet compaction under three pressures. Due to the similar composition and the same preparation technique (spray drying), the properties of CPEs and their compacts were generally comparable. The most pronounced differences were observed in flowability, undissolved fraction after 3 min and 24 h, energy of plastic deformation (E₂), ejection force, consolidation behavior, and compact friability. Cellactose^® 80 exhibited the most pronounced consolidation behavior, the lowest values of ejection force, and high friability of compacts. CombiLac^® showed excellent flow properties but insufficient friability, except for compacts prepared at the highest compression pressure (182 MPa). MicroceLac^® 100 displayed the poorest flow properties, lower ejection forces, and the best mechanical resistance of compacts. StarLac^® showed excellent flow properties, the lowest amounts of undissolved fraction, the highest ejection force values, and the worst compact mechanical resistance. The obtained results revealed that higher compression pressures need to be used or further excipients have to be added to all tested materials in order to improve the friability and tensile strength of formed tablets, except for MicroceLac^® 100.

Stress-Dependent Particle Interactions of Magnesium Aluminometasilicates as Their Performance Factor in Powder Flow and Compaction Applications

In the pharmaceutical industry, silicates are commonly used excipients with different application possibilities. They are especially utilized as glidants in low concentrations, but they can be used in high concentrations as porous carriers and coating materials in oral solid drug delivery systems. The desirable formulations of such systems must exhibit good powder flow but also good compactibility, which brings opposing requirements on inter-particle interactions. Since magnesium aluminometasilicates (MAS) are known for their interesting flow behavior reported as "negative cohesivity" yet they can be used as binders for tablet compression, the objective of this experimental study was to investigate their particle interactions within a broad range of mechanical stress from several kPa to hundreds of MPa. Magnesium aluminometasilicate (Neusilin^® US2 and Neusilin^® S2)-microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel^® PH102) physical powder mixtures with varying silicate concentrations were prepared and examined during their exposure to different pressures using powder rheology and compaction analysis. The results revealed that MAS particles retain their repulsive character and small contact surface area under normal conditions. If threshold pressure is applied, the destruction of MAS particles and formation of new surfaces leading to particle interactions are observed. The ability of MAS particles to form interactions intensifies with increasing pressure and their amount in a mixture. This "function switching" makes MAS suitable for use as multifunctional excipients since they can act as a glidant or a binder depending on the applied pressure.

On the mechanism of colloidal silica action to improve flow properties of pharmaceutical excipients

The mechanism of colloidal silica action to improve flow properties of pharmaceutical powders is known to be based on inter-particle force disruption by silica particles adhered to the particle surface. In the present article, the kinetic aspects of this action are investigated, focusing on non-spherical particles of different size. Blends comprising microcrystalline cellulose or calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate and colloidal silica were examined using powder rheometer. The blends were formulated to represent effects of particle size, surface texture, colloidal silica loading, and mixing time. Pre-conditioning, shear testing, compressibility, and flow energy measurements were used to monitor flow properties. Components and blends were analyzed using particle size analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and back-scattered electron (BSE) detection to determine surface particle arrangement. All studied parameters were found to have substantial effects on flow properties of powder blends. Those effects were explained by identifying key steps of colloidal silica action, which were found to proceed at substantially different rates, causing the flow properties change over time being dependent on the blend formulation and the component properties.