Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model of Brain Delivery of Plasma Protein Bound Drugs.

INTRODUCTION: A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model is developed that focuses on the kinetic parameters of drug association and dissociation with albumin, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), and brain tissue proteins, as well as drug permeability at the blood-brain barrier, drug metabolism, and brain blood flow. GOAL: The model evaluates the extent to which plasma protein-mediated uptake (PMU) of drugs by brain influences the concentration of free drug both within the brain capillary compartment in vivo and the brain compartment. The model also studies the effect of drug binding to brain tissue proteins on the concentration of free drug in brain. METHODS: The steady state and non-steady state PBPK models are comprised of 11-12 variables, and 18-23 parameters, respectively. Two model drugs are analyzed: propranolol, which undergoes modest PMU from the AGP-bound pool, and imipramine, which undergoes a high degree of PMU from both the albumin-bound and AGP-bound pools in plasma. RESULTS: The free propranolol concentration in brain is under-estimated 2- to fourfold by in vitro measurements of free plasma propranolol, and the free imipramine concentration in brain is under-estimated by 18- to 31-fold by in vitro measurements of free imipramine in plasma. The free drug concentration in brain in vivo is independent of drug binding to brain tissue proteins. CONCLUSIONS: In vitro measurement of free drug concentration in plasma under-estimates the free drug in brain in vivo if PMU in vivo from either the albumin and/or the AGP pools in plasma takes place at the BBB surface.

Predictivity of standardized and controlled permeation studies: Ex vivo - In vitro - In vivo correlation for sublingual absorption of propranolol.

In preclinical drug development, ex vivo and in vitro permeability studies are a decisive element for specifying subsequent development steps. In this context, reliability, physiological alignment and appropriate in vivo correlation are mandatory for predictivity regarding drug absorption. Especially in oromucosal drug delivery, these prerequisites are not adequately met, which hinders its progressive development and results in the continuous need for animal experiments. To address current limitations, an innovative, standardized, and controlled ex vivo permeation model was applied. It is based on Kerski diffusion cells embedded in automated sampling and coupled to mass spectrometric quantification under physiologically relevant conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the predictivity of the developed model using porcine mucosa (ex vivo) in relation to data of sublingual propranolol absorption (in vivo). In addition, the usefulness of biomimetic barriers (in vitro) as a replacement for porcine mucosa was investigated. Therefore, solubility and permeability studies considering microenvironmental conditions were conducted and achieved good predictivity (R2 = 0.997) for pH-dependent permeability. A multiple level C correlation (R2 ≥ 0.860) between obtained permeability and reported pharmacokinetic animal data (AUC, Cmax) was revealed. Furthermore, a point-to-point correlation was demonstrated for several sublingual formulations. The successful IVIVC confirms the standardized ex vivo model as a viable alternative to animal testing for estimating the in vivo absorption behavior of oromucosal pharmaceuticals.

Integrated laser ablation-dropletProbe-mass spectrometry for absolute drug quantitation, metabolite detection, and distribution in tissue.

RATIONALE: Spatially resolved and accurate quantitation of drug-related compounds in tissue is a much-needed capability in drug discovery research. Here, application of an integrated laser ablation-dropletProbe-mass spectrometry surface sampling system (LADP-MS) is reported, which achieved absolute quantitation of propranolol measured from <500 × 500 µm thin tissue samples. METHODS: Mouse liver and kidney thin tissue sections were coated with parylene C and analyzed for propranolol by a laser ablation/liquid extraction workflow. Non-coated adjacent sections were microdissected for validation and processed using standard bulk tissue extraction protocols. High-performance liquid chromatography with positive ion mode electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was applied to detect the drug and its metabolites. RESULTS: Absolute propranolol concentration in ~500 × 500 µm tissue regions measured by the two methods agreed within ±8% and had a relative standard deviation within ±17%. Quantitation down to ~400 × 400 µm tissue regions was shown, and this resolution was also used for automated mapping of propranolol and phase II hydroxypropranolol glucuronide metabolites in kidney tissue. CONCLUSIONS: This study exemplifies the capabilities of integrated laser ablation-dropletProbe-mass spectrometry (LADP-MS) for high resolution absolute drug quantitation analysis of thin tissue sections. This capability will be valuable for applications needing to quantitatively understand the spatial distribution of small molecules in tissue.

Solid-phase microextraction for assessment of plasma protein binding, a complement to rapid equilibrium dialysis.

Aim: Determination of plasma protein binding (PPB) is considered vital for better understanding of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic activities of drugs due to the role of free concentration in pharmacological response. Methodology & results: Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was investigated for measurement of PPB from biological matrices and compared with a gold standard approach (rapid equilibrium dialysis [RED]). Discussion & conclusion: SPME-derived values of PPB correlated well with literature values, and those determined by RED. Respectively, average protein binding across three concentrations by RED and SPME was 33.1 and 31.7% for metoprolol, 89.0 and 86.6% for propranolol and 99.2 and 99.0% for diclofenac. This study generates some evidence for SPME as an alternative platform for the determination of PPB.

Preliminary Flow Modeling by Hybrid Automata Alternating Continuous Reaction and Discrete Transit for Pharmacokinetics.

In traditional pharmacokinetic models, blood flow or liquid transit is often expressed as first-order kinetics. When the flow expression by first-order kinetics is used for dynamic simulation, the flow velocity illogically depends on the step size of a solver of ordinary differential equations. In this study, we propose flow modeling using hybrid automata that combine ordinary differential equations and recursive equations, and we have preliminarily applied the constructed models to several examples. The blood concentration-time profiles of p-aminohippurate and propranolol after intravenous administration were successfully reproduced by simple hybrid automata. The simulation results of one-dimensional tube flow have demonstrated that the fluid velocity in the hybrid automata was independent of the step size of the ordinary differential equation solver. A body fluid model coordinated various flows in a human body with scheduled daily activities and could be used as a drug container to describe formulation-dependent disposition of 5-aminosalicylic acid and enterohepatic circulation of a virtual drug. These findings suggested that flow modeling using hybrid automata could avoid the logical inconsistency in the traditional pharmacokinetic modeling and that the hybrid automata have high versatility and a wide range of applicability to pharmacokinetic analysis. Because our method can define various intervals for multiple recursive equations, the resolution of a specific part of a model can be adjusted relatively freely while the whole body is being roughly modeled, which would be beneficial to refine a coarse model into a fine model in future. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: There is a logical inconsistency in flow expression by first-order kinetics in ordinary differential equations used in traditional pharmacokinetic modeling. It is difficult to model a whole human body using flow models in partial differential equations because of the excessive calculation costs. Our simulations on tube flow and body fluids have demonstrated that the flow modeling using hybrid automata could avoid the problems. The preliminary applications of hybrid automata to several examples highlighted its high versatility in pharmacokinetic analysis.

Analysis of Non-linear Pharmacokinetics of P-Glycoprotein Substrates in a Microfluidic Device Using a Mathematical Model that Includes an Unstirred Water Layer (UWL) Compartment.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research is to analyze non-linear pharmacokinetics of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates in a cell based assay of a microfluidic device, which might be affected by hydrodynamic barrier (unstirred water layer, UWL). RESULTS: Apparent permeability (Papp) were obtained using non-P-gp substrates (propranolol, metoprolol, and atenolol) and P-gp substrates (quinidine and talinolol) in a commercially available microfluidic device, organoplate ® of Caco-2 cell based assay. The previous UWL resistance model was well fitted to Papp of static and flow condition by assuming UWL including and negligible condition, while P-gp substrates of higher passive permeability (quinidine) was apart from the fitting curve. The concentration dependent non-linear kinetics of P-gp substrates, quinidine and talinolol, was more analyzed in detail, and apparent Vmax discrepancy between static and flow assay condition in the quinidine assay was observed, while that was not observed in talinolol, the lower permeable substrate. Based on the experimental results, a mathematical model for P-gp substrates including UWL compartment on the previous 3-compartment model was developed, and it indicated that the apparent Vmax was variable along with the ratio between passive permeability and UWL permeability. CONCLUSIONS: The mathematical model adding UWL compartment well explained non-linear pharmacokinetics of apparent permeability of P-gp substrate in the microfluidic device. The model also has a potential to be applied to P-gp substrate permeability analysis in vivo.

Development and Evaluation of a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Drug-Disease Model of Propranolol for Suggesting Model Informed Dosing in Liver Cirrhosis Patients.

AIM: The study was aimed to understand the underlying causes for the differences in propranolol pharmacokinetics (PK) between healthy and cirrhosis populations by using a systematic whole-body physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model-building approach for suggesting model informed propranolol dosing in liver cirrhosis patients with different stages of disease severity. METHODS: A whole-body PBPK model was developed by using population simulator PK-Sim® by using reported physicochemical and clinical data for propranolol in healthy and liver cirrhosis populations. The model evaluation was done by visual verification and comparison of PK parameters using their observed/predicted ratios (Robs/pred). RESULTS: The developed model has effectively described the disposition of propranolol after intravenous and oral application in healthy and liver cirrhosis populations. All the model predictions were comparable to the observed clinical data and the Robs/pred for all the PK parameters were within a 2-fold range. A significant increase in plasma concentration of propranolol and decrease in drug clearance was observed in progressive stages of liver cirrhosis. The developed model after evaluation with the reported clinical PK data was used for suggesting model informed propranolol dosing in different stages of liver cirrhosis based on systemic unbound drug concentration. CONCLUSION: The developed PBPK model has successfully described propranolol PK in healthy and cirrhosis populations after IV and oral administration. The evaluated PBPK propranolol-cirrhosis model can have many implications in predicting propranolol dosing in liver cirrhosis patients with different stages of disease severity.

Development of a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of propranolol in different skin layers.

The aim of this work was to develop and validate an analytical method using HPLC for the determination of propranolol in the different layers of the skin to be used in kinetic studies of skin permeation. The development of the method was based on the suitability of the chromatogram, and the validation followed the international health regulation for bioanalytical methods. In addition, the method was tested in an in vitro permeation assay using porcine skin. The drug was determined using an RP-C18 column at 30°C, a mobile phase comprising acidic aqueous phase:acetonitrile (75:25 v/v), at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 , and UV detection at 290 nm. The method was demonstrated to be selective against skin contaminants, linear in a wide range of concentrations (3-20 µg mL-1 ), sensitive enough to quantify less than 0.1% of the drug dosage in skin matrices, and precise regardless of analysis variations such as day of analysis, analyst, or equipment. In addition, the method presented a high drug extraction capacity greater than 90% for all skin layers (stratum corneum, hair follicle, and remaining skin). Finally, the method was successfully tested in skin permeation assays, proving its value in the development of topical formulations containing propranolol.

Absolute quantitation of propranolol from 200-µm regions of mouse brain and liver thin tissues using laser ablation-dropletProbe-mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: The ability to quantify drugs and metabolites in tissue with sub-mm resolution is a challenging but much needed capability in pharmaceutical research. To fill this void, a novel surface sampling approach combining laser ablation with the commercial dropletProbe automated liquid surface sampling system (LA-dropletProbe) was developed and is presented here. METHODS: Parylene C-coated 200 × 200 µm tissue regions of mouse brain and kidney thin tissue sections were analyzed for propranolol by laser ablation of tissue directly into a preformed liquid junction. Propranolol was detected by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) in positive electrospray ionization mode. Quantitation was achieved via application of a stable-isotope-labeled internal standard and an external calibration curve. RESULTS: The absolute concentrations of propranolol determined from 200 × 200 µm tissue regions were compared with the propranolol concentrations obtained from 2.3-mm-diameter tissue punches of adjacent, non-coated sections using standard bulk tissue extraction protocols followed by regular HPLC/MS/MS analysis. The average concentration of propranolol in both organs determined by the two employed methods agreed to within ±12%. Furthermore, the relative abundances of phase II hydroxypropranolol glucuronide metabolites were recorded and found to be consistent with previous results. CONCLUSIONS: This work illustrates that depositing a thin layer of parylene C onto thin tissue prior to analysis, which seals the surface and prevents direct liquid extraction of the drug from the tissue, coupled to the novel LA-dropletProbe surface sampling system is a viable approach for sub-mm resolution quantitative drug distribution analysis.

Bucco-Adhesive Film as a Pediatric Proper Dosage Form for Systemic Delivery of Propranolol Hydrochloride: In-vitro and in-vivo Evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To formulate and assess bucco-adhesive films of propranolol hydrochloride for pediatric use. METHODS: Different films were formulated adopting mucin, polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan and carbopol. A drug/polymer compatibility study was conducted adopting differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The prepared films were physically investigated for variation of weight, propranolol content, thickness, surface pH, proportion of moisture, folding endurance and mucoadhesion. In vitro drug release study and kinetic analysis of the corresponding data have been conducted. The optimized formulation was selected for a bioavailability study using albino rabbits and adopting a developed HPLC method. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the drug were calculated following administration of the optimized film and the corresponding marketed oral tablets to albino rabbits. KEY FINDING: The compatibility study revealed the absence of drug/polymer interaction. The film formulations had suitable mucoadhesive and mechanical properties. The optimized formulation exhibited reasonable drug release that followed Higuchi diffusion pattern. The calculated AUC0-8h presented an enhancement in the bioavailability of propranolol hydrochloride from the selected film formulation by 1.9 times relative to the marketed propranolol oral tablets. CONCLUSION: These findings support that propranolol hydrochloride bucco-adhesive film can be considered as a proper effective dosage form for pediatric delivery.

Intermittent ß-adrenergic blockade downregulates the gene expression of ß-myosin heavy chain in the mouse heart.

Expression of the ß-myosin heavy chain (ß-MHC), a major component of the cardiac contractile apparatus, is tightly regulated as even modest increases can be detrimental to heart under stress. In healthy hearts, continuous inhibition of ß-adrenergic tone upregulates ß-MHC expression. However, it is unknown whether the duration of the ß-adrenergic inhibition and ß-MHC expression are related. Here, we evaluated the effects of intermittent ß-blockade on cardiac ß-MHC expression. To this end, the ß-blocker propranolol, at the dose of 15mg/kg, was administered once a day in mice for 14 days. This dosing schedule caused daily drug-free periods of at least 6 h as evidenced by propranolol plasma concentrations and cardiac ß-adrenergic responsiveness. Under these conditions, ß-MHC expression decreased by about 75% compared to controls. This effect was abolished in mice lacking ß1- but not ß2-adrenergic receptors (ß-AR) indicating that ß-MHC expression is regulated in a ß1-AR-dependent manner. In ß1-AR knockout mice, the baseline ß-MHC expression was fourfold higher than in wild-type mice. Also, we evaluated the impact of intermittent ß-blockade on ß-MHC expression in mice with systolic dysfunction, in which an increased ß-MHC expression occurs. At 3 weeks after myocardial infarction, mice showed systolic dysfunction and upregulation of ß-MHC expression. Intermittent ß-blockade decreased ß-MHC expression while attenuating cardiac dysfunction. In vitro studies showed that propranolol does not affect ß-MHC expression on its own but antagonizes catecholamine effects on ß-MHC expression. In conclusion, a direct relationship occurs between the duration of the ß-adrenergic inhibition and ß-MHC expression through the ß1-AR.

Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Propranolol Hydrochloride: A Review.

BACKGROUND: Nobel laureate Sir James Black's molecule, propranolol, still has broad potential in cardiovascular diseases, infantile haemangiomas and anxiety. A comprehensive and systematic review of the literature for the summarization of pharmacokinetic parameters would be effective to explore the new safe uses of propranolol in different scenarios, without exposing humans and using virtual-human modeling approaches. OBJECTIVE: This review encompasses physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics and drug-drug interaction data of propranolol collected from various studies. METHODS: Clinical pharmacokinetic studies on propranolol were screened using Medline and Google Scholar databases. Eighty-three clinical trials, in which pharmacokinetic profiles and plasma time concentration were available after oral or IV administration, were included in the review. RESULTS: The study depicts that propranolol is well absorbed after oral administration. It has dose-dependent bioavailability, and a 2-fold increase in dose results in a 2.5-fold increase in the area under the curve, a 1.3-fold increase in the time to reach maximum plasma concentration and finally, 2.2 and 1.8-fold increase in maximum plasma concentration in both immediate and long-acting formulations, respectively. Propranolol is a substrate of CYP2D6, CYP1A2 and CYP2C19, retaining potential pharmacokinetic interactions with co-administered drugs. Age, gender, race and ethnicity do not alter its pharmacokinetics. However, in renal and hepatic impairment, it needs a dose adjustment. CONCLUSION: Physiochemical and pooled pharmacokinetic parameters of propranolol are beneficial to establish physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling among the diseased population.

Peculiarities of Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability of Some Cardiovascular Drugs under Conditions of Antiorthostatic Hypokinesia.

We studied pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of verapamil, propranolol, and ethacizine in healthy volunteers after single oral administration under normal conditions and on the second day of simulated antiorthostatic hypokinesia modeling some effects of microgravity. Under conditions of antiorthostatic hypokinesia, a tendency to a decrease in half-elimination period, mean retention time, and volume of distribution and an increase in the rate of absorption, ratio of maximum concentrations, and relative rate of absorption of verapamil and propranolol were revealed. For ethacizine, a statistically significant increase in the time of attaining maximum concentration and volume of distribution and a decrease in the maximum concentration, rate of absorption, ratio of maximum concentrations, and relative rate of absorption under conditions of antiorthostatic hypokinesia were found.

Vanillin enhances the passive transport rate and absorption of drugs with moderate oral bioavailability in vitro and in vivo by affecting the membrane structure.

Vanillin is a popular flavoring agent in the food, tobacco, and perfume industries. In this paper, we investigated the effect of vanillin on the transport rates of drugs with different levels of permeability (acyclovir, hydrochlorothiazide, propranolol and carbamazepine) through a Caco-2 cell bidirectional transport experiment. We also explored the underlying mechanism using an in silico technique and fluorescence anisotropy measurements. The influence of vanillin on the pharmacokinetics of drugs whose transport rates were affected by vanillin in vitro was then studied in vivo. Results showed that vanillin (100 µM) increased the cumulative amount of passively transported drugs (2.1-fold of hydrochlorothiazide, 1.49-fold of propranolol, 1.35-fold of acyclovir, and 1.34-fold of carbamazepine) in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that vanillin disordered the structure of the lipid bilayer and reduced the energy barrier of drugs across the center of the membrane. The anisotropy of TMA-DPH also decreased in Caco-2 cells after treatment with vanillin (25 and 100 µM) and indicated an increase in membrane fluidity, which was dose-dependent. An oral bioavailability study indicated that vanillin (100 mg kg-1) significantly enhanced the Cmax and AUC0-6 of hydrochlorothiazide by 1.42-fold and 1.28-fold, respectively, and slightly elevated the Cmax of propranolol. In conclusion, vanillin can significantly increase the absorption of drugs with moderate oral bioavailability in vitro and in vivo by loosening the membrane. Thus, the concurrent consumption of drugs with food containing vanillin may result in increased drug plasma concentration and pose potential health risks.

Preparation and In vitro Evaluation of FDM 3D-Printed Ellipsoid-Shaped Gastric Floating Tablets with Low Infill Percentages.

The aim of the study is to investigate the feasibility of fabricating FDM 3D-printed gastric floating tablets with low infill percentages and the effect of infill percentage on the properties of gastric floating tablets in vitro. Propranolol hydrochloride was selected as a model drug, and drug-loaded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) filaments were produced by hot melt extrusion (HME). Ellipsoid-shaped gastric floating tablets with low infill percentage of 15% and 25% (namely E-15 and E-25) were then prepared respectively by feeding the extruded filaments to FDM 3D printer. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize the filaments and 3D-printed tablets, and a series of evaluations were performed to the 3D-printed tablets, including the weight variation, drug content, hardness, in vitro floating behavior, and drug release of the tablets. The SEM results showed that the drug-loaded filaments and 3D-printed tablets appeared intact without defects, and the printed tablets were composed of filaments deposited uniformly layer by layer. The model drug and the excipients were thermally stable under the process temperature of extruding and printing, with a small amount of drug crystals dispersing in the drug-loaded filaments and 3D-printed tablets. Both E-15 and E-25 could float on artificial gastric fluids without any lag time and released in a sustained manner. Compared with E-15, the E-25 presented less weight variation, higher tablet hardness, shorter floating time, and longer drug release time.

Ionic liquid-based transdermal delivery of propranolol: a patent evaluation of US2018/0169033A1.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are organic salts of asymmetric organic cations and inorganic/organic anions and are considered green alternative to organic solvents. ILs have high thermal stability, low volatility, low toxicity and high biodegradability. ILs are frequently used for enhancing the solubility and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients. This study describes an invention related to the preparation of amorphous melts of propranolol incorporated into transdermal patches for infantile hemangioma intervention. Reduction in skin irritation and a significant increase in transdermal permeability of propranolol from its amorphous melts was reported. However, toxicity and stability issues of the IL-based active pharmaceutical ingredients and their drug delivery systems are yet to be established from regulatory perspective before exploiting commercial viability of these forms.

Dynamic Protonation Dramatically Affects the Membrane Permeability of Drug-like Molecules.

Permeability (Pm) across biological membranes is of fundamental importance and a key factor in drug absorption, distribution, and development. Although the majority of drugs will be charged at some point during oral delivery, our understanding of membrane permeation by charged species is limited. The canonical model assumes that only neutral molecules partition into and passively permeate across membranes, but there is mounting evidence that these processes are also facile for certain charged species. However, it is unknown whether such ionizable permeants dynamically neutralize at the membrane surface or permeate in their charged form. To probe protonation-coupled permeation in atomic detail, we herein apply continuous constant-pH molecular dynamics along with free energy sampling to study the permeation of a weak base propranolol (PPL), and evaluate the impact of including dynamic protonation on Pm. The simulations reveal that PPL dynamically neutralizes at the lipid-tail interface, which dramatically influences the permeation free energy landscape and explains why the conventional model overestimates the assigned intrinsic permeability. We demonstrate how fixed-charge-state simulations can account for this effect, and propose a revised model that better describes pH-coupled partitioning and permeation. Our results demonstrate how dynamic changes in protonation state may play a critical role in the permeation of ionizable molecules, including pharmaceuticals and drug-like molecules, thus requiring a revision of the standard picture.

Pharmacokinetic variability of beta-adrenergic blocking agents used in cardiology.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic variability of beta-adrenergic blocking agents used in cardiology by reviewing single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetic studies from the literature. PubMed was searched for pharmacokinetic studies of beta-adrenergic blocking agents, both single-dose and steady-state studies. The studies included reported maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and/or area under the concentration curve (AUC). The coefficient of variation (CV%) was calculated for all studies, and a CV% <40% was considered low or moderate variability, and a CV% >40% was considered high variability. The Cmax and AUC were reported a total of 672 times in 192 papers. Based on AUC, metoprolol, propranolol, carvedilol, and nebivolol showed high pharmacokinetic variability (highest first), whereas bisoprolol, atenolol, sotalol, labetalol, nadolol, and pindolol showed low to moderate variability (lowest first). We have shown a high interindividual pharmacokinetic variability that varies markedly in different beta-adrenergic blocking agents; the extreme being steady state ratios as high as 30 in metoprolol. A more personalized approach to the medical treatment of patients may be obtained by combining known pharmacokinetic information about variability, pharmaco-genetics and -dynamics, and patient characteristics, to avoid adverse events or lack of treatment effect.

Release Adjustment of Two Drugs with Different Solubility Combined in a Matrix Tablet.

The objective of this study was to modify the release of two drugs having different solubility in a combined matrix tablet as a fixed-dose combination for extended release. Propranolol HCl (freely soluble) and carbamazepine (very slightly soluble) were used as model drugs, water-soluble hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and water-insoluble ethylcellulose (EC) were used as matrix-forming polymers. Tablets were prepared by direct compression of powder blends, or propranolol HCl was first granulated with one of the matrix-forming polymers (1:1) followed by compression with carbamazepine and matrix former. Propranolol HCl release from directly compressed tablets was faster than carbamazepine because of its higher solubility. The release of both drugs was fast when HPMC-propranolol HCl granules were compressed with carbamazepine into EC matrix tablet. Conversely, the release of both drugs was decreased when HPMC-propranolol HCl granules and carbamazepine were compressed into HPMC matrices. The desired release of both drugs was approached when EC-propranolol HCl granules were compressed with carbamazepine into HPMC matrix. Erosion of the HPMC matrix and, therefore, drug release were adjusted by varying the molecular weight of HPMC. A burst release of propranolol HCl decreased when it was granulated with EC in a fluidized bed coater followed by compression with carbamazepine into HPMC matrix.

Edible solid foams as porous substrates for inkjet-printable pharmaceuticals.

The aim of this study was to investigate new porous flexible substrates, i.e., solid foams that would serve as a carrier with a high ink absorption potential for inkjet printable pharmaceuticals. Propranolol hydrochloride was used as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Pharmaceutically approved and edible cellulose derivatives and gums together with different additives were evaluated as a base for the substrate. Different methods for preparation of a solid foam such as freeze-drying, vacuum oven drying and drying at room temperature were explored. Only freeze-drying of the polymeric solutions resulted in the desired porous and flexible, but mechanically stable, soft sponge-like substrates with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based solid foams being the most suitable for the use in continuous inkjet printing. The plasticized HPMC foams had a superior absorption capacity and fast penetration speed for the different solvents due to the open cell pore structure and higher porosity as compared to nonplasticized additive-free foams, although, the latter were less hygroscopic. The produced solid foams were well suited for inkjet printing of high volumes of API-containing ink. The inkjet-printed API was immediately released from the dosage forms upon contact with the dissolution medium. This work demonstrates that the fabricated solid foams, based on plasticized HPMC, show a great potential as porous carriers in the fabrication of high dose dosage forms by inkjet printing.