Corn starches as film formers in aqueous-based film coating.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the film formation ability and mechanical stress-strain properties of aqueous native corn starches, using free films and film coatings applied to tablets. Free films were prepared from high-amylose corn (Hylon VII), corn and waxy corn starches, using sorbitol and glycerol as plasticizers. The tablets and pellets were film-coated using an air-suspension coater, and characterized with respect to the film coating surface topography, cross-sectional structure and thickness (SEM), and dissolution in vitro. The amylose content of the starch film formers affected both the tensile strength and the elongation. The elongations were under 5% for even the plasticized starches, and in most cases, no plasticization effect was seen by either of the plasticizers. Dissolution of native corn starch film-coated tablets (weight gain 1%) did not differ from uncoated ones. A notable delay in dissolution of the drug was found by increasing Hylon VII film coating thickness, suggesting controlled-release characteristics.