Characterization of the Shells in Layer-By-Layer Nanofunctionalized Particles: A Computational Study.

Drug delivery carriers are considered an encouraging approach for the localized treatment of disease with minimum effect on the surrounding tissue. Particularly, layer-by-layer releasing particles have gained increasing interest for their ability to develop multifunctional systems able to control the release of one or more therapeutical drugs and biomolecules. Although experimental methods can offer the opportunity to establish cause and effect relationships, the data collection can be excessively expensive or/and time-consuming. For a better understanding of the impact of different design conditions on the drug-kinetics and release profile, properly designed mathematical models can be greatly beneficial. In this work, we develop a continuum-scale mathematical model to evaluate the transport and release of a drug from a microparticle based on an inner core covered by a polymeric shell. The present mathematical model includes the dissolution and diffusion of the drug and accounts for a mechanism that takes into consideration the drug biomolecules entrapped into the polymeric shell. We test a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the influence of changing the model conditions on the total system behavior. To prove the effectiveness of this proposed model, we consider the specific application of antibacterial treatment and calibrate the model against the data of the release profile for an antibiotic drug, metronidazole. The results of the numerical simulation show that ∼85% of the drug is released in 230 h, and its release is characterized by two regimes where the drug dissolves, diffuses, and travels the external shell layer at a shorter time, while the drug is released from the shell to the surrounding medium at a longer time. Within the sensitivity analysis, the outer layer diffusivity is more significant than the value of diffusivity in the core, and the increase of the dissolution parameters causes an initial burst release of the drug. Finally, changing the shape of the particle to an ellipse produces an increased percentage of drugs released with an unchanged release time.

It is Possible to Achieve Tablets With Good Tabletability From Solid Dispersions - The Case of the High Dose Drug Gemfibrozil.

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.

A preformulation strategy for the selection of controlled-release components to simulate a subcutaneous implant / Una estrategia de preformulación para la selección de componentes de liberación controlada para simular un implante subcutáneo

Many chronic diseases require repetitive injections as maintenance treatment. It is therefore important to investigate a possible alternative. A simulated subcutaneous implant prototype was fabricated as a polymer matrix covered by cylinder-shape tubing having a porous membrane. Sucrose, bovine serum albumin, and gelatin were selected as matrix excipients. Eight APIs with different physiochemical properties were used to investigate the releasing mechanism. Drug release was tested through an in vitrodissolution apparatus. Drug release of eight APIs followed zero-order kinetics with a minimum 12-hour duration. Release rates also showed linear correlations with the APIs' solubilities under physiological pH. For releasing mechanism studies, different combinations of matrix and membrane were investigated in detail. A 144-hour continuous zero-order release of caffeine was achieved as the best controlled simulated prototype. The results showed that drug release of our simulated prototype was primarily achieved by drug diffusion rather than dissolution.

Muchas enfermedades crónicas requieren inyecciones repetitivas como tratamiento de mantenimiento. Por lo tanto, es importante investigar una posible alternativa. Se fabricó un prototipo de implante subcutáneo simulado a partir de una matriz de polímero cubierta por un tubo en forma de cilindro que tiene una membrana porosa. La sacarosa, la albúmina de suero bovino y la gelatina se seleccionaron como excipientes matriciales. Se utilizaron ocho APIs con diferentes propiedades fisicoquímicas para investigar el mecanismo de liberación. La liberación del fármaco se probó a través de un aparato de disolución in vitro. La liberación del fármaco de las ocho APIs siguió una cinética de orden cero con una duración mínima de 12 horas. Las tasas de liberación también mostraron correlaciones lineales con las solubilidades de las APIs a pH fisiológico. Para los estudios de mecanismos de liberación, se investigaron en detalle diferentes combinaciones de matriz y membrana. El prototipo simulado con mejor control logró una liberación continua de cafeína de orden cero durante 144 horas. Los resultados mostraron que la liberación del fármaco del prototipo simulado ocurrió principalmente mediante la difusión del fármaco en lugar de la disolución.

Production of pure indinavir free base nanoparticles by a supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) method.

CONTEXT: This work investigated the production of pure indinavir free base nanoparticles by a supercritical anti-solvent method to improve the drug dissolution in intestine-like medium. OBJECTIVE: To increase the dissolution of the drug by means of a supercritical fluid processing method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acetone was used as solvent and supercritical CO2 as antisolvent. Products were characterized by dynamic light scattering (size, size distribution), scanning electron microscopy (morphology), differential scanning calorimetry (thermal behaviour) and X-rays diffraction (crystallinity). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Processed indinavir resulted in particles of significantly smaller size than the original drug. Particles showed at least one dimension at the nanometer scale with needle or rod-like morphology. Results of X-rays powder diffraction suggested the formation of a mixture of polymorphs. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed a main melting endotherm at 152 °C. Less prominent transitions due to the presence of small amounts of bound water (in the raw drug) or an unstable polymorph (in processed IDV) were also visible. Finally, drug particle size reduction significantly increased the dissolution rate with respect to the raw drug. Conversely, the slight increase of the intrinsic solubility of the nanoparticles was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: A supercritical anti-solvent method enabled the nanonization of indinavir free base in one single step with high yield. The processing led to faster dissolution that would improve the oral bioavailability of the drug.

Technological development and stability study of meprobamate immediate released tablets

The behavior of different technological variants of fast release tablets of Meprobamato (400 mg) obtained by wet granulation. The desintegration time and the percentage of the dissolved drug showed a significant dependence of the sodium lauryl sulfate /sodium croscarmelose ratios present in formulae. The physical and chemical properties of tablets were assessed during 6 months (accelerated stability and dring 24 months (useful life), respectively. From the formulae selected it was possible to obtain granulates and tablets with organoleptic, physicomechanical and technological properties, demonstrating the feasibility of the process of fabrication of this product. Results showed the good stability in the immediate release of Meprobamato tablets selected. The in vitro dissolution hasn't significant differences, thus, neither the time elapsed nor the composition of formula inluenced on the percentages of dissolved drug. The assessment demonstrated significant differences, however, assessed formulae fulfilled with official pharmaceutical specifications during 24 months(AU)

Se estudió el comportamiento de diferentes variantes tecnológicas de tabletas de liberación inmediata de meprobamato (400 mg), obtenidas por granulación húmeda. El tiempo de desintegración y el porcentaje de fármaco disuelto mostraron dependencia significativa con las proporciones del lauril sulfato de sodio/croscarmelosa sódica en las formulaciones. Se evaluaron las propiedades físicas y químicas de las tabletas durante 6 meses (estabilidad acelerada) y 24 meses (de vida útil), respectivamente. Se obtuvieron a partir de las formulaciones seleccionadas granulados y tabletas con propiedades organolépticas, físico-mecánicas y tecnológicas satisfactorias, lo que indicó la factibilidad del proceso de fabricación de este producto. Los resultados demostraron la buena estabilidad de las formulaciones de tabletas de liberación inmediata de meprobamato seleccionadas. La disolución in vitro no mostró diferencias significativas, por lo que ni el tiempo transcurrido ni la composición de la formulación influyeron sobre los porcentajes del fármaco disuelto. La valoración mostró diferencias significativas, sin embargo, las formulaciones evaluadas cumplieron con las especificaciones farmacéuticas oficiales durante 24 meses(AU)

Technological development and stability study of meprobamate immediate released tablets

The behavior of different technological variants of fast release tablets of Meprobamato (400 mg) obtained by wet granulation. The desintegration time and the percentage of the dissolved drug showed a significant dependence of the sodium lauryl sulfate /sodium croscarmelose ratios present in formulae. The physical and chemical properties of tablets were assessed during 6 months (accelerated stability and dring 24 months (useful life), respectively. From the formulae selected it was possible to obtain granulates and tablets with organoleptic, physicomechanical and technological properties, demonstrating the feasibility of the process of fabrication of this product. Results showed the good stability in the immediate release of Meprobamato tablets selected. The in vitro dissolution hasn't significant differences, thus, neither the time elapsed nor the composition of formula inluenced on the percentages of dissolved drug. The assessment demonstrated significant differences, however, assessed formulae fulfilled with official pharmaceutical specifications during 24 months

Se estudió el comportamiento de diferentes variantes tecnológicas de tabletas de liberación inmediata de meprobamato (400 mg), obtenidas por granulación húmeda. El tiempo de desintegración y el porcentaje de fármaco disuelto mostraron dependencia significativa con las proporciones del lauril sulfato de sodio/croscarmelosa sódica en las formulaciones. Se evaluaron las propiedades físicas y químicas de las tabletas durante 6 meses (estabilidad acelerada) y 24 meses (de vida útil), respectivamente. Se obtuvieron a partir de las formulaciones seleccionadas granulados y tabletas con propiedades organolépticas, físico-mecánicas y tecnológicas satisfactorias, lo que indicó la factibilidad del proceso de fabricación de este producto. Los resultados demostraron la buena estabilidad de las formulaciones de tabletas de liberación inmediata de meprobamato seleccionadas. La disolución in vitro no mostró diferencias significativas, por lo que ni el tiempo transcurrido ni la composición de la formulación influyeron sobre los porcentajes del fármaco disuelto. La valoración mostró diferencias significativas, sin embargo, las formulaciones evaluadas cumplieron con las especificaciones farmacéuticas oficiales durante 24 meses