Effects of Processing on a Sustained Release Formulation Prepared by Twin-Screw Dry Granulation

Evaluation of Modified Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) Mucilage as a Potential Pharmaceutical Excipient

Investigation on natural sources from plants, animals, and microorganisms that produce gums and mucilages goes on increasing day by day to check their pharmaceutical applications. Different mucilages have been studied for their pharmaceutical effects but the use of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) mucilage as a pharmaceutical excipient is still under the cover. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate and compare the flow property and binding ability of crude, purified, modified (hydrolyzed and grafted), green synthesized nanoparticles (Zinc oxide (ZnO), cuperic oxide (CuO), silver (Ag), and gold (Au)) of date palm mucilage with hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and commercially available paracetamol tablets. Previously purified mucilage (with 58.4% yield) was subjected to modification (i.e., acidic, basic, and enzymatic), grafting (polyacrylamide), and green synthesis of nanoparticles. Flow properties of powdered (granular) crude, purified, modified, and nanoparticles were studied and compared with flow properties of HPMC and paracetamol tablet granules. Tablets were made using granules of all types of date palm mucilage (discussed above), HPMC, and granules of paracetamol tablets to study and compare weight uniformity, hardness, friability, dissolution rate, and disintegration time. When 100 mg/kg of mucilage sample was given to mice no oral toxicity was found. The results obtained during this study were within the acceptable ranges given in pharmacopeias. The pseudoplastic flow behavior, hygroscopic nature, increased solubility, and swelling index across the increase in temperature, hardness of the tablets, friability, and drug release behavior were found better than HPMC and the binders used in commercially available paracetamol, hence making the date palm mucilage (crude, purified, and modified) an excellent excipient to be used in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Fabrication of a Shell-Core Fixed-Dose Combination Tablet Using Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing

Fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) achieve optimal goals for treatment with minimal side effects, decreased administration of large number of tablets, thus, greater convenience, and improved patient compliance. However, conventional FDCs do not have a guaranteed place in the future of patient-centered drug development because of the difficulty in achieving dose titration of each drug for individualized specific health needs and desired therapeutic outcomes. In the current study, FDCs of two antihypertensive drugs were fabricated with two distinct compartments using fused deposition modeling three-dimensional printing (FDM-3DP). Atorvastatin calcium and Amlodipine besylate loaded filaments were prepared by hot-melt extrusion. Shell-core FDC tablets were designed to have different infills for individualized dosing. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction revealed that both drugs were transformed into amorphous forms within the polymeric carriers. The fabricated tablets met the United States Pharmacopeia acceptance criteria for friability, content uniformity, and dissolution testing. The fabricated tablets were stable at room temperature with respect to drug content and thermal behavior over six months. This dynamic dosage form provides flexibility in dose titration and maintains the advantages of FDCs, thus achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes in different healthcare facilities.

Twin-Screw Melt Granulation for Oral Solid Pharmaceutical Products

This article highlights the advantages of pharmaceutical continuous melt granulation by twin-screw extrusion. The different melt granulation process options and excipients are described and compared, and a case is made for expanded use of twin-screw melt granulation since it is a flexible and continuous process. Methods for binder selection are profiled with a focus on rheology and physical stability impacts. For twin-screw melt granulation, the mechanism of granulation and process impact on granule properties are described. Pharmaceutical applications of melt granulation ranging from immediate release of soluble and insoluble APIs, taste-masking, and sustained release formulation are reviewed, demonstrating the range of possibilities afforded by twin-screw melt granulation.

Advances in Twin-Screw Granulation Processing

Twin-screw granulation (TSG) is a pharmaceutical process that has gained increased interest from the pharmaceutical industry for its potential for the development of oral dosage forms. The technology has evolved rapidly due to the flexibility of the equipment design, the selection of the process variables and the wide range of processed materials. Most importantly, TSG offers the benefits of both batch and continuous manufacturing for pharmaceutical products, accompanied by excellent process control, high product quality which can be achieved through the implementation of Quality by Design (QbD) approaches and the integration of Process Analytical Tools (PAT). Here, we present basic concepts of the various twin-screw granulation techniques and present in detail their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, we discuss the detail of the instrumentation used for TSG and how the critical processing paraments (CPP) affect the critical quality attributes (CQA) of the produced granules. Finally, we present recent advances in TSG continuous manufacturing including the paradigms of modelling of continuous granulation process, QbD approaches coupled with PAT monitoring for granule optimization and process understanding.

Pharmaceutical application of multivariate modelling techniques: a review on the manufacturing of tablets

The tablet manufacturing process is a complex system, especially in continuous manufacturing (CM). It includes multiple unit operations, such as mixing, granulation, and tableting. In tablet manufacturing, critical quality attributes are influenced by multiple factorial relationships between material properties, process variables, and interactions. Moreover, the variation in raw material attributes and manufacturing processes is an inherent characteristic and seriously affects the quality of pharmaceutical products. To deepen our understanding of the tablet manufacturing process, multivariable modeling techniques can replace univariate analysis to investigate tablet manufacturing. In this review, the roles of the most prominent multivariate modeling techniques in the tablet manufacturing process are discussed. The review mainly focuses on applying multivariate modeling techniques to process understanding, optimization, process monitoring, and process control within multiple unit operations. To minimize the errors in the process of modeling, good modeling practice (GMoP) was introduced into the pharmaceutical process. Furthermore, current progress in the continuous manufacturing of tablets and the role of multivariate modeling techniques in continuous manufacturing are introduced. In this review, information is provided to both researchers and manufacturers to improve tablet quality.

A Rapid Tool to Optimize Process Variables for Continuous Manufacturing of Metronidazole Ointment Using Melt Extrusion Technique

The use of hot-melt extrusion (HME) technique in the preparation of semi-solid products offers several advantages over conventional processes. However, the optimization of the technique for preparation of semi-solid pharmaceuticals is challenging due to involvement of ingredients with different physical properties. Hence, a simple tool to optimize the mixing of ingredients that results in a target ratio and drug content uniformity is utmost important. In this study, a handheld colorimeter has been explored to optimize the process variables of twin screw processor for preparation of hydrophilic PEG-based ointment. The process parameters which were optimized with use of handheld colorimeter have been used for preparation of polyethylene glycol-based metronidazole ointment. The metronidazole ointment prepared by twin screw processor was compared with commercially available metronidazole gel for in vitro release testing and ex vivo permeation. The flux, ex vivo bioavailability, and T_max of polyethylene glycol-based metronidazole ointment was found to be similar to that of marketed metronidazole gel.

Recent progress in continuous manufacturing of oral solid dosage forms

Continuous drug product manufacturing is slowly being implemented in the pharmaceutical industry. Although the benefits related to the quality and cost of continuous manufacturing are widely recognized, several challenges hampered the widespread introduction of continuous manufacturing of drug products. Current review presents an overview of state-of-the art research, equipment, process analytical technology implementations and advanced control strategies. Additionally, guidelines and regulatory viewpoints on implementation of continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry are discussed.