Eduarda Rocha Bigogno1, Luciano Soares1, Matheus Henrique Ruela Mews2, Melissa Zétola2, Giovana Carolina Bazzo3, Hellen Karine Stulzer3, Bianca Ramos Pezzini3.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Solid Dispersions (SDs) have been extensively used to increase the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, there are few studies exploring SDs properties that must be considered during tablet development, like tabletability. Poorly water-soluble drugs with poor compression properties and high therapeutic doses, like gemfibrozil, are an additional challenge in the production of SDs-based tablets.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the applicability of SDs to improve both tabletability and dissolution rate of gemfibrozil. A SD-based tablet formulation was also proposed.
METHODS: SDs were prepared by ball milling, using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a carrier, according to a 23 factorial design. The formulation variables were gemfibrozil:HPMC ratio, milling speed, and milling time. The response in the factorial analysis was the tensile strength of the compacted SDs. Dissolution rate and solid-state characterization of SDs were also performed.
RESULTS: SDs showed simultaneous drug dissolution enhancement and improved tabletability when compared to corresponding physical mixtures and gemfibrozil. The main variable influencing drug dissolution and tabletability was the gemfibrozil:HPMC ratio. Tablets containing gemfibrozil- HPMC-SD (1:0.250 w/w) and croscarmellose sodium showed fast and complete drug release, while those containing the same SD and sodium starch glycolate exhibited poor drug release due to their prolonged disintegration time.
CONCLUSION: SDs proved to be effective for simultaneously improving tabletability and dissolution profile of gemfibrozil. Tablets containing gemfibrozil-HPMC-SD and croscarmellose sodium as disintegrating agent showed improved drug release and good mechanical strength, demonstrating the potential of HPMC-based SDs to simultaneously overcome the poor dissolution and tabletability properties of this drug. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.
BACKGROUND: Solid Dispersions (SDs) have been extensively used to increase the dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, there are few studies exploring SDs properties that must be considered during tablet development, like tabletability. Poorly water-soluble drugs with poor compression properties and high therapeutic doses, like gemfibrozil, are an additional challenge in the production of SDs-based tablets.
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the applicability of SDs to improve both tabletability and dissolution rate of gemfibrozil. A SD-based tablet formulation was also proposed.
METHODS: SDs were prepared by ball milling, using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a carrier, according to a 23 factorial design. The formulation variables were gemfibrozil:HPMC ratio, milling speed, and milling time. The response in the factorial analysis was the tensile strength of the compacted SDs. Dissolution rate and solid-state characterization of SDs were also performed.
RESULTS: SDs showed simultaneous drug dissolution enhancement and improved tabletability when compared to corresponding physical mixtures and gemfibrozil. The main variable influencing drug dissolution and tabletability was the gemfibrozil:HPMC ratio. Tablets containing gemfibrozil- HPMC-SD (1:0.250 w/w) and croscarmellose sodium showed fast and complete drug release, while those containing the same SD and sodium starch glycolate exhibited poor drug release due to their prolonged disintegration time.
CONCLUSION: SDs proved to be effective for simultaneously improving tabletability and dissolution profile of gemfibrozil. Tablets containing gemfibrozil-HPMC-SD and croscarmellose sodium as disintegrating agent showed improved drug release and good mechanical strength, demonstrating the potential of HPMC-based SDs to simultaneously overcome the poor dissolution and tabletability properties of this drug. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.
Entities:
Keywords:
Gemfibrozil; drug dissolution; solid dispersion; solubility; tablet; tabletability
Year: 2021
PMID: 33100203 DOI: 10.2174/1567201817666201023121948
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Curr Drug Deliv ISSN: 1567-2018 Impact factor: 2.565