Physicochemical properties of tadalafil solid dispersions - Impact of polymer on the apparent solubility and dissolution rate of tadalafil.

To improve solubility of tadalafil (Td), a poorly soluble drug substance (3µg/ml) belonging to the II class of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System, its six different solid dispersions (1:1, w/w) in the following polymers: HPMC, MC, PVP, PVP-VA, Kollicoat IR and Soluplus were successfully produced by freeze-drying. Scanning electron microscopy showed a morphological structure of solid dispersions typical of lyophilisates. Apparent solubility and intrinsic dissolution rate studies revealed the greatest, a 16-fold, increase in drug solubility (50µg/ml) and a significant, 20-fold, dissolution rate enhancement for the Td/PVP-VA solid dispersion in comparison with crystalline Td. However, the longest duration of the supersaturation state in water (27µg/ml) over 24h was observed for the Td solid dispersion in HPMC. The improved dissolution of Td from Td/PVP-VA was confirmed in the standard dissolution test of capsules filled with solid dispersions. Powder X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis showed the amorphous nature of these binary systems and indicated the existence of dispersion at the molecular level and its supersaturated character, respectively. Nevertheless, as evidenced by film casting, the greatest ability to dissolve Td in polymer was determined for PVP-VA. The crystallization tendency of Td dispersed in Kollicoat IR could be explained by the low Tg (113°C) of the solid dispersion and the highest difference in Hansen solubility parameters (6.8MPa(0.5)) between Td and the polymer, although this relationship was not satisfied for the partially crystalline dispersion in PVP. Similarly, no correlation was found between the strength of hydrogen bonds investigated using infrared spectroscopy and the physical stability of solid dispersions or the level of supersaturation in aqueous solution.

Effect of amorphization method on telmisartan solubility and the tableting process.

Telmisartan (TLM), a poorly water-soluble angiotensin II receptor antagonist in crystalline form, was transformed into the amorphous state by the melt quench technique, as well as a cryogenic grinding method, in order to improve its physiochemical properties. The chemical stability of TLM, that is, the tendency of the material to resist change or decomposition due to internal reaction, or due to the effects of air, heat, light, pressure, etc., during formation of the amorphous phase was assessed by monitoring high performance liquid chromatography. The existence of the amorphous state was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. The glass transition occurred at T(g)=401K. In the next stage, the solubility of TLM in 0.1M HCl, phosphate buffer, pH=6.8, and water (25°C and 37°C) was determined. Both amorphous forms of TLM (vitrified and cryogrinded) had a higher solubility (µg/ml) than their crystalline counterpart. An important and interesting problem of the study was to evaluate how the tableting process was affected by the choice of either a crystalline or an amorphous form of TLM. Eight different tablet formulations were evaluated using both the crystalline and the amorphous form of TLM. Measurements of the physical properties and dissolution tests of G4 formulations tablets with telmisartan in crystalline and amorphous form after different storage periods were also performed.

Dielectric relaxation studies and dissolution behavior of amorphous verapamil hydrochloride.

Verapamil hydrochloride (VH) is a very popular calcium channel blocker. Solubility of its crystalline form in the blood reaches only 10-20%. Thus, it seems to be very important to improve its bioavailability. In this article, we show that the preparation of the amorphous form of VH enhance its dissolution rate. In addition we performed dielectric measurements to describe molecular dynamics of this active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Since examined sample is typical ionically conducting material, to gain information about structural relaxation we employed the dielectric modulus formalism. The temperature dependence of the structural relaxation time can be described over the entire measured range by a single Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (VFT) equation. From the VFT fits the glass transition temperature was estimated as T(g) = 320.1 K. Below glass transition temperature one clearly visible secondary relaxation, with activation energy E(a) = 37.8 kJ/mol, was reported. Deviations of experimental data from KWW fits on high-frequency flank of alpha-peak indicate the presence of an excess wing in tested sample. Based on Kia Ngai's coupling model we identified the excess wing as true Johari-Goldstein process.

Dielectric relaxation study on tramadol monohydrate and its hydrochloride salt.

Dielectric relaxation measurements as well as differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction investigations were performed on tramadol monohydrate and its hydrochloride salt. Examined samples do not crystallize during cooling and in consequence they reach the glassy state. In the case of the hydrochloride tramadol we are able to monitor alpha-relaxation process despite large contribution of dc conductivity to the loss spectra. It is the first such study on the salt of the drug. Up to now the dielectric spectroscopy has been regarded as useless in measuring such kind of API (active pharmaceutical ingredient). In this paper we also made some suggestions about the nature of the secondary relaxations in the amorphous tramadol monohydrate and its salt. The knowledge about the molecular mechanisms, which govern the observed secondary relaxations seems to be the key in predicting the stability of the amorphous form of the examined API. Finally additional dissolving measurements on the amorphous and crystal tramadol hydrochloride were performed. As a result we understood that dissolution properties of the amorphous form of the considered drug are comparable to those of crystalline one. However, we have found out that amorphous tramadol hydrochloride has greater ability to form tablets than its crystalline equivalent. This finding shows that amorphous drugs can be alternative even for the freely solved pharmaceuticals such as tramadol hydrochloride, because the former one has better ability to form tablets. It implies that during tabletting of the amorphous drugs there is no need to use any excipients and chemicals improving compaction properties of the API.