Mechanical properties of excipients do not affect polymer matrix formation

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Aqueous Dispersion for Enteric Coating of Pantoprazole Sodium Pellets

The purpose of this work was to investigate a novel aqueous dispersion (Eudragit® L100-55) f or e nteric c oating o f drugs. Three different casting solutions, Eudragit® L100-55 aqueous dispersion, Eudragit® L 100-55 o rganic s olution, and Eudragit® L30D-55 aqueous dispersion, were used to prepare free films by the casting method. Drug-loaded pellets, prepared by the extrusion-spheronization method, were coated with one of these three coating solutions using the fluidized-bed spray coating technology. Properties of the free films were thoroughly investigated. Films formed by Eudragit® L100-55 aqueous dispersions showed similar properties to those formed by Eudragit® L100-55 organic solution regarding thermodynamic properties, moisture permeability, solubility and acid tolerance ability. Furthermore, the performance of the novel film was better than that formed by Eudragit® L30D-55 aqueous dispersion. Among the three enteric coating solutions, Eudragit® L100- 55 aqueous dispersion will be a promising aqueous dispersion for enteric coating and can be used in the development of enteric-coated preparations.

Mechanical properties and drug release of venlafaxine HCl solid mini matrices prepared by hot-melt extrusion and hot or ambient compression

Objective/significance: To elucidate the role of plasticizers in different mini matrices and correlate mechanical properties with drug release.

METHODS

Cylindrical pellets were prepared by hot-melt extrusion (HME) and mini tablets by hot (HC) and ambient compression (AC). Venlafaxine HCl was the model drug, Eudragit^® RSPO the matrix former and citric acid or Lutrol^® F127 the plasticizers. The matrices were characterized for morphology, crystallinity, and mechanical properties. The influence of plasticizer's type and content on the extrusion pressure (P_e) during HME and ejection during tableting was examined and the mechanical properties were correlated with drug release parameters.

RESULTS

Resistance to extrusion and tablet ejection force were reduced by Lutrol^® F127 which also produced softer and weaker pellets with faster release, but harder and stronger HC tablets with slower release. HME pellets showed greater tensile strength (T) and 100 times slower release than tablets. P_e correlated with T and resistance to deformation of the corresponding pellets (r² = 0.963 and 0.945). For both HME and HC matrices the decrease of drug release with T followed a single straight line (r² = 0.990) and for HME the diffusion coefficient (D_e) and retreat rate constant (k_b) decreased linearly with T (r² = 0.934 and 0.972).

CONCLUSIONS

Lutrol^® F127 and citric acid are efficient plasticizers and Lutrol^® F127 is a thermal binder/lubricant in HC compression. The different bonding mechanisms of the matrices were reflected in the mechanical strength and drug release. Relationships established between T and drug release parameters for HME and HC matrices may be useful during formulation work.

The influence of thermal treatment and type of insoluble poly(meth)acrylates on dissolution behavior of very soluble drug from hypromellose matrix tablets evaluated by multivariate data analysis

Hypromellose matrices exhibit extended burst effect immediately after contact with aqueous medium, especially when a water-soluble drug is incorporated. The objective of this study was to reduce burst effect and maintain complete dissolution of a very soluble levetiracetam over 12 h period from hypromellose K4M matrices to obtain zero-order kinetics. Desired changes were achieved by applying water dispersions of insoluble Eudragits^® (NE, NM, RL, RS) as a granulation liquid to the drug/microcrystalline cellulose mixture during high-shear granulation (non-thermal treated set) and consequently by thermally treating granules or final tablets (TT), respectively. Applying Eudragit^® water dispersions to the drug/microcrystalline cellulose mixture was recognized as an effective method of significantly reducing the burst release (25.4-33.7%) of levetiracetam in comparison with a reference sample without Eudragit^®. Multivariate data analysis showed that the addition of Eudragit^® reduced burst effect, increased fitting with zero-order kinetics, and supported matrix erosion as the supplementary mechanism to predominant diffusion. Moreover, resulting PCA sub-model revealed the addition of Eudragit^® RL and thermal treatment of tablets to be the most suitable method of all. For a 12 h dissolution profile, characterized by low burst effect and drug release close to 100% at the 12th hour, sample RL_TT was the most suitable.