Preparation and evaluation of medicinal carbon oral films

How to assess orodispersible film quality? A review of applied methods and their modifications

In recent years, there has been a tendency toward creating innovative, easy to use and patient-friendly drug delivery systems suitable for every consumer profile, which would ensure safety, stability and acceptability of a drug. One of the relatively novel and promising approaches is the manufacture of orodispersible films (ODFs), which is an upcoming area of interest in drug delivery. They are defined as polymer thin films that disintegrate in the oral cavity within seconds, without drinking water or chewing, and eliminate the risk of choking. Gaining special usefulness in therapies of children and the elderly, ODFs seem to fill the gap in the range of preparations available for these groups of patients. As no detailed monography of ODFs including testing methods and uniform requirements has been presented in any of the pharmacopoeias to date, the aim of this article is to give an overview of the applied testing methods, their modifications and innovative approaches related to ODF quality assessment.

Comparative study on novel test systems to determine disintegration time of orodispersible films

OBJECTIVES

Orodispersible films (ODFs) are a promising innovative dosage form enabling drug administration without the need for water and minimizing danger of aspiration due to their fast disintegration in small amounts of liquid. This study focuses on the development of a disintegration test system for ODFs.

METHODS

Two systems were developed and investigated: one provides an electronic end-point, and the other shows a transferable setup of the existing disintegration tester for orodispersible tablets. Different ODF preparations were investigated to determine the suitability of the disintegration test systems. The use of different test media and the impact of different storage conditions of ODFs on their disintegration time were additionally investigated.

KEY FINDINGS

The experiments showed acceptable reproducibility (low deviations within sample replicates due to a clear determination of the measurement end-point). High temperatures and high humidity affected some of the investigated ODFs, resulting in higher disintegration time or even no disintegration within the tested time period.

CONCLUSIONS

The methods provided clear end-point detection and were applicable for different types of ODFs. By the modification of a conventional test system to enable application for films, a standard method could be presented to ensure uniformity in current quality control settings.

Development of film dosage form containing allopurinol for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis

Film dosage forms (FDs) containing allopurinol (AP) were prepared using a casting method with water-soluble polysaccharides, such as sodium alginate (ALG), and the release profile of AP from FDs was investigated in limited dissolution medium. Some ALGs were able to form FDs incorporating AP, and the thickness was about 50 μm. All FDs were easy to handle, though the rheological properties varied with ALG species. AP was homogenously present throughout the FDs and was released with disintegration in 10 mL of physiological saline. These results confirmed that FDs are useful for preventing or treating localized problems in the oral cavity, such as mucositis. FDs are also useful for administering drugs to cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy.

Preparation of Fast Dissolving Films for Oral Dosage from Natural Polysaccharides

Fast-dissolving films (FDFs) were prepared from natural polysaccharides, such as pullulan, without heating, controlling the pH, or adding other materials. The release profiles of model drugs from the films were investigated. In the absence of a drug, the casting method and subsequent evaporation of the solvent resulted in the polysaccharide forming a circular film. The presence of drugs (both their type and concentration) affected film formation. The thickness of the film was controllable by adjusting the concentration of the polysaccharide, and regular unevenness was observed on the surface of 2% pullulan film. All films prepared with polysaccharides readily swelled in dissolution medium, released the incorporated compound, and subsequently disintegrated. The release of dexamethasone from the films was complete after 15 min, although this release rate was slightly slower than that of pilocarpine or lidocaine. Therefore, FDFs prepared from polysaccharides could be promising candidates as oral dosage forms containing drugs, and would be expected to show drug dissolution in the oral cavity.