Paola Mura

The influence of polyvinylpyrrolidone on naproxen complexation with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin

The combined effect of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the solubility of naproxen (NAP) was studied. Phase-solubility analysis at different temperatures was used to investigate interactions in aqueous solution between NAP and the carriers, either alone or in combination. Equimolar NAP-HPbetaCD solid systems, in the presence or the absence of 15% (w/w) PVP, were prepared by cogrinding, kneading, coevaporation or freeze-drying, and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction analysis, infrared spectroscopy and dissolution rates. The combined use of PVP and HPbetaCD resulted in a synergistic increasing effect of the aqueous solubility of NAP (120 times that of the pure drug). The phenomenon was interpreted in terms of the strongest complexation capacity of HPbetaCD towards NAP, which was reflected by an about 65% increase in the apparent stability constant of the NAP-HPbetaCD complex in the presence of only 0.1% (w/v) PVP. Variations in thermodynamic parameters accounted for a PVP role in the formation of a NAP-HPbetaCD-PVP ternary complex. The positive effect of PVP also reflected on NAP dissolution rates from solid preparations, because all ternary systems, with the exception of physical mixtures, dissolved faster than the corresponding NAP-HPbetaCD binary systems. The results of solid state studies accounted for the occurrence of mechanically- and/or thermally-induced stronger interactions in ternary than in binary systems, that in some cases led to a complete loss of NAP crystallinity.

Utilization of differential scanning calorimetry as a screening technique to determine the compatibility of ketoprofen with excipients

Abstract Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used as a screening technique for assessing the compatibility of ketoprofen with some excipients currently employed in tablet or capsule formulations. The effect of sample treatment (simple blending, cogrinding, compression, kneading) was also evaluated. On the basis of DSC results, ketoprofen was found to be compatible with hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch, arabic gum, colloidal silica, veegum, lactose, glucose, sorbitol and mannitol. Some drug-excipient interaction was observed with palmitic acid, stearic acid and stearyl alcohol and eutectic formation was found with magnesium stearate. Strong solid-phase interaction with polyethylene glycol 6000, polyvinylpolypyrrolidone and even more with polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 was found.

Evaluation of transcutol as a clonazepam transdermal permeation enhancer from hydrophilic gel formulations.

The influence of diethyleneglycol monoethyl ether (transcutol), alone or in combination with propylene glycol, on clonazepam permeation through an artificial membrane and excised rabbit ear skin from Carbopol hydrogels was investigated. Drug kinetic permeation parameters were determined for both series of experiments and compared. Rheological characteristics, drug solubility and membrane/vehicle partition coefficient for each gel formulation were also determined, and their role in the formulation performance was investigated. Both series of experiments showed an increase of drug permeation as a function of transcutol content in the formulation. The combination of transcutol and propylene glycol resulted in a synergistic enhancement of clonazepam flux. A different trend was found in experiments with gels containing mixtures of the two enhancers, where an increase (in the case of artificial membrane) or a decrease (in the case of rabbit ear skin) of drug permeation was found by increasing the transcutol/propylene glycol ratio in the mixture. Such a result is explained on the basis of the particular mechanism of action demonstrated for transcutol which associates the increase of drug solubility to the potent effect of a depot in the skin.

Ternary systems of naproxen with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and aminoacids

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to investigate the combined effect of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and different aminoacids ( l -lysine, LYS; l -valine, VAL; l -iso-leucine, LEU; and l -arginine, ARG) on the solubility of naproxen, a poorly water-soluble anti-inflammatory drug. Aqueous solubilities of naproxen in binary and ternary systems with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and each aminoacid were determined. The pH was measured in all solubility studies and its role on drug solubility variation was evaluated. Arginine was the most effective aminoacid in improving drug solubility and the only one which showed a synergistic effect when used in combination with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. In contrast, some reduction with respect to the theoretical drug solubility (i.e. the sum of the solubilities in the presence of cyclodextrin and aminoacid separately) was observed in ternary combinations with the other aminoacids. This occurred also in the case of lysine, despite the higher solubility of its ternary system in comparison with the binary cyclodextrin complex at pH 7. Phase-solubility experiments showed that the ternary system with arginine (pH≈7) exhibited a stability constant 3.6 times higher and was about 5.5 times more effective in improving drug solubility than the binary complex in buffered (pH≈7) aqueous solutions. These results demonstrated that the high increase in the drug solubility shown by ternary systems with arginine was not simply due to a favorable pH change but to multicomponent complex formation. Solid products of naproxen with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, and/or arginine, prepared by different methods, were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Hot Stage Microscopy (HSM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Properties of Solid Dispersions of Naproxen in Various Polyethylene Glycols

AbstractSolid dispersions of naproxen in polyethylene glycol 4000, 6000, and 20000, aimed at improving the drug dissolution characteristics, were prepared by both the solvent and melting methods. The drug-polymer interaction in the solid state was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, hot-stage microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction analysis. Interaction in solution was studied by phase solubility analysis and dissolution experiments. Computer-aided molecular modeling was used to supplement the results from phase solubility studies. No important chemical interaction was found between naproxen and polyethylene glycol, either in solution or in the solid state, apart from the formation of weak drug-polymer hydrogen bonds. The increase of naproxen dissolution rate from its binary systems with polyethylene glycol could be attributed to several factors such as improved wettability, local solubilization, and drug particle size reduction. No influence of polymer...

Compatibility study between ibuproxam and pharmaceutical excipients using differential scanning calorimetry, hot-stage microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used as a screening technique for assessing the compatibility of ibuproxam with some currently employed pharmaceutical excipients. The influence of processing effects (simple blending, cogrinding or kneading) on drug stability was also evaluated. On the basis of DSC results, ibuproxam was found to be compatible with corn starch, avicel and sodium carboxymethylcellulose. Some drug-excipient interaction was observed with polyethyleneglycol 4000, palmitic acid, stearic acid, Ca and Mg stearate. Actual solid-phase interactions of the drug with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone and polyvinylpirrolidone K30 were induced by mechanical treatments. Hot-stage microscopy (HSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were of help in interpreting the DSC results and excluding in all cases relevant pharmaceutical incompatibilities.

Influence of the preparation method on the physicochemical properties of ketoprofen-cyclodextrin binary systems.

Binary systems of ketoprofen with native crystalline beta-cyclodextrin and amorphous statistically substituted methyl-beta-cyclodextrin were investigated for both solid phase characterization (Differential Scanning Calorimetry, powder X-ray diffraction, Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy) and dissolution properties (dispersed amount and rotating disc methods). Grinding, kneading, sealed-heating and colyophilization of equimolar combinations of ketoprofen with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, as well as colyophilization of analogous combinations with beta-cyclodextrin, led to amorphous products. Crystalline drug, instead, was still clearly detectable in coground, kneaded and sealed-heated products with beta-cyclodextrin. Both the preparation method, and even more the nature of the carrier, played an important role in the performance of the system. Colyophilized and sealed-heated products showed the best dissolution properties. However, independently of the preparation technique, all combinations with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin yield better performances than the corresponding ones with the beta-cyclodextrin. Moreover, intrinsic dissolution rate of ketoprofen from simple physical mixture with the beta-cyclodextrin derivative was even five-fold higher than that from the best product with the parent beta-cyclodextrin.

Development and Evaluation of Glyburide Fast Dissolving Tablets Using Solid Dispersion Technique

Glyburide is a poorly water‐soluble oral hypoglycemic agent, with problems of variable bioavailability and bio‐inequivalence related to its poor water‐solubility. This work investigated the possibility of developing glyburide tablets, allowing fast, reproducible, and complete drug dissolution, by using drug solid dispersion in polyethylene glycol. Phase‐solubility studies were performed to investigate the drug‐carrier interactions in solution, whereas differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray powder diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the solid state of solid dispersions. The effects of several variables related to both solid dispersion preparation (cofusion or coevaporation technique, drug‐to‐carrier ratio, polyethylene glycol molecular weight) and tablet production (direct compression or previous wet‐granulation, tablet hardness, drug, and solid dispersion particle size) on drug dissolution behavior were investigated. Tablets obtained by direct compression, with a hardness of 7–9 Kp, and containing larger sized solid dispersions (20–35 mesh, i.e., 850–500 µm) of micronized glyburide in polyethylene glycol 6000 prepared by the cofusion method gave the best results, with a 135% increase in drug dissolution efficiency at 60 min in comparison with a reference tablet formulation containing the pure micronized drug. Moreover, the glyburide dissolution profile from the newly developed tablets was clearly better than those from various commercial tablets at the same drug dosage.

Analytical techniques for characterization of cyclodextrin complexes in aqueous solution: a review.

Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides endowed with a hydrophilic outer surface and a hydrophobic inner cavity, able to form inclusion complexes with a wide variety of guest molecules, positively affecting their physicochemical properties. In particular, in the pharmaceutical field, cyclodextrin complexation is mainly used to increase the aqueous solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs, and to enhance their bioavailability and stability. Analytical characterization of host-guest interactions is of fundamental importance for fully exploiting the potential benefits of complexation, helping in selection of the most appropriate cyclodextrin. The assessment of the actual formation of a drug-cyclodextrin inclusion complex and its full characterization is not a simple task and often requires the use of different analytical methods, whose results have to be combined and examined together. The purpose of the present review is to give, as much as possible, a general overview of the main analytical tools which can be employed for the characterization of drug-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes in solution, with emphasis on their respective potential merits, disadvantages and limits. Further, the applicability of each examined technique is illustrated and discussed by specific examples from literature.

Development of enteric-coated calcium pectinate microspheres intended for colonic drug delivery

Enteric-coated calcium pectinate microspheres (MS) aimed for colon drug delivery have been developed, by using theophylline as a model drug. The influence of pectin type (amidated or non-amidated) and MS preparation conditions (CaCl2 concentration and cross-linking time) was investigated upon the drug entrapment efficiency and its release behaviour. Drug stability and drug-polymer interactions were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, thermogravimetry, X-ray diffractometry and FTIR spectroscopy. Enteric coating with Eudragit S100 enabled maintenance of MS integrity until its expected arrival to colon. The coating was also useful to improve the stability of MS during storage, avoiding morphologic changes observed for uncoated MS stored under ambient conditions. Entrapment efficiency increased by reducing cross-linking time, and (only in the case of non-amidated pectin) by increasing CaCl2 concentration. On the other hand, release tests performed simulating the gastro-intestinal pH variation evidenced an inverse relationship between CaCl2 concentration and drug release rate, whereas no influence of both pectin type and cross-linking time was found. Unexpectedly, addition of pectinolytic enzymes to the colonic medium did not give rise to selective enzymatic degradation of MS. Notwithstanding this unforeseen result, coated MS prepared at 2.5% w/v CaCl2 concentration were able to adequately modulate drug release through a mixed approach of pH and transit time control, avoiding drug release in the gastric ambient, and reaching the colonic targeting where 100% release was achieved within less than 24h.