Preparation and characterization of celecoxib dispersions in soluplus[R]: comparison of spray drying and conventional methods

The present study deals with characterization of dispersions of a poorly water-soluble drug, celecoxib [CLX] in polyvinyl caprolactame-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer [Soluplus[R] [SOL]] prepared by different techniques. Dispersions of CLX in SOL at different ratios [2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6] were prepared by spray drying, conventional solvent evaporation and melting methods. The solid states of samples were characterized using particle size measurements, optical and scanning electron microscopy, XRPD, DSC and FT-IR. The Gordon-Taylor equation was used to predict the T[g] of samples and the possibility of interaction between CLX and SOL. The solubility and dissolution rate of all samples were determined. Stability of samples was studied at ambient conditions for a period of 12 months. DSC and XRPD analyses confirmed amorphous state of drug in samples. Surprisingly dispersions of CLX:SOL with the ratio of 2:1 and 1:1 showed slower dissolution rate than CLX while other samples showed higher dissolution rate. At 1:2 ratio the spray dried samples exhibited higher dissolution rate than corresponding samples prepared by other methods. However at higher SOL content [1:4 and 1:6], samples prepared by different methods showed similar dissolution profiles. The stability studies showed that there were no remarkable changes in the dissolution profiles and solid state of the drug after 12 months storage at ambient conditions. It was concluded that SOL was a proper carrier to enhance the dissolution rate of CLX. At high SOL ratios the method of preparation of dispersed samples had no effect on dissolution rate, whilst at low SOL content spray drying was more efficient method

Comparison of acetaminophen with or without codeine to ibuprofen on the postoperative pain of pediatric tonsillectomy

Management of pain in children is often inadequate and numerous clinical practice guidelines and policy statements have been published on the subject of pediatric pain. Tonsillectomy is among the most frequent otorhinolaryngologic surgeries, especially in the pediatric age group and after tonsillectomy the patients usually suffer from mild to severe pain for three postoperative days which may limit activity level and intake, leading to dehydration and a prolonged hospital stay. In this study acetaminophen, acetaminophen codeine and ibuprofen have been compared in a single study. A randomized, prospective, double-blind study was conducted at the Tabriz pediatric hospital. Patients were selected randomly from the hospitalized patients undergoing tonsillectomy suffering from recurrent tonsillitis or adenotonsillar hypertrophy and assigned to one of three groups [acetaminophen [ACT]-acetaminophen codeine [ACT/C]-ibuprofen [IBU] according to a predetermined randomization code. All the operations were taken place under same conditions by the same surgeon. Objective pain score used for pain assessment and adverse drug reactions were collected on checklists and analyzed using SPSS software. Chi square test results revealed a significant difference between ACT ACT/C IBU groups. Neither acetaminophen nor Ibuprofen at the doses given was able to provide sufficient analgesia. The rate of bleeding in all groups did not show any significant difference according to Pearson-chi-square test [P=0.22]. The incidence of anorexia in ACT, ACT/C and IBU groups was 15.7, 7.8 and 25.8 percent, respectively, which showed a significant difference by chi-square test [P=0.045]. According to our study it can be concluded that acetaminophen codeine posses more analgesic effect than acetaminophen and ibuprofen in post tonsillectomy pain management in pediatric patients

effect of solvent and crystallization conditions on habit modification of carbamazepine

Physical characteristics of carbamazepine crystals grown from pure ethanol or acetone under different conditions were studied for the morphology of crystals by scanning electron microscope, x-ray powder diffraction and FT-IR, and for thermodynamic properties by differential scanning calorimeter. Also the dissolution behavior and compaction properties of crystals were studied. The results showed that crystallization of carbamazepine using watering-out method produced needle shape crystals while by the other methods such as reducing temperature or solvent evaporation produced polyhedral crystals in alcohol and thin plate-like crystals in acetone. The crystals which were grown from acetone were larger than those from alcohol. Differential scanning calorimetery and x-ray powder diffraction showed no evidence of poly-morphism for carbamazepine crystallized by reducing the temperature or by the solvent evaporation in contrast with the crystals produced by the watering out technique. Crystallization of carbamazepine by different methods especially watering-out technique improved its dissolution rate and compactibility and produced high crushing strength compacts without capping