Aging processes in pharmaceutical polymers.

In the practical field of solid pharmaceutical formulations, studies of the physical aging of polymers and the stability of dosage forms are of great importance. Polymers are the additives used to convert pharmacologically active compounds into pharmaceutical dosage forms suitable for administration to patients, and thus a knowledge of the physical aging effects on the stability of final products is essential. In this review, the author attempts to elucidate the fundamental concepts of physical aging in polymers, and correlate the effects of physical aging on the properties with changes in solid dosage form stability.