Effect of polysorbates on drug release from wax matrices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various types and amounts of polysorbates on potassium chloride release. Potassium chloride, which is a highly water-soluble model drug, was embedded into wax (containing surfactants) to produce a sustained-release dosage form. Various kinds of polysorbates were chosen as surfactants to control the dissolution profile. The release of the model drug was tested by rotating paddle method of USP 23 and the dissolution process was characterized by the Weibull distribution. The surface tension of the aqueous solutions of polysorbates was determined by a computer-controlled Sigma 70 tensiometer. The application of polysorbates in more than 2% concentration did not alter either the release rate of the embedded potassium chloride, or the surface tension values of the aqueous solutions. The results of this study allow the determination of the optimal concentration of polysorbates in the case of the potassium chloride release.