Comparison of polyethylene glycol and polyoxyethylene stearate as excipients for solid dispersion systems of griseofulvin and tolbutamide I: phase equilibria.

Phase equilibrium diagrams were constructed based on hot-stage microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry of solid dispersions of griseofulvin or tolbutamide in polyethylene glycol 2000 or polyoxyethylene 40 stearate. The solid dispersions were prepared by physical mixing, fusion, and coprecipitation from ethanol. The phase diagrams were largely independent of the method of preparation of the dispersion systems. The diagrams were of the monotectic type for polyethylene glycol 2000 with each drug and for griseofulvin with each excipient, with the monotectic species being the pure drug. Polyoxyethylene 40 stearate with tolbutamide gave eutectic systems in which liquid polyoxyethylene 40 stearate dissolved up to 20% of the tolbutamide. The phase diagrams showed greater solubility of tolbutamide in liquid polyoxyethylene 40 stearate than in polyethylene glycol 2000 but showed a similar solubility of griseofulvin in each experiment. Solid solution formation was not detected.