Investigation of drug release from suspension using FTIR-ATR technique: part I. Determination of effective diffusion coefficient of drugs

Customisable Tablet Printing: The Development of Multimaterial Hot Melt Inkjet 3D Printing to Produce Complex and Personalised Dosage Forms

One of the most striking characteristics of 3D printing is its capability to produce multi-material objects with complex geometry. In pharmaceutics this translates to the possibility of dosage forms with multi-drug loading, tailored dosing and release. We have developed a novel dual material hot-melt inkjet 3D printing system which allows for precisely controlled multi-material solvent free inkjet printing. This reduces the need for time-consuming exchanges of printable inks and expensive post processing steps. With this printer, we show the potential for design of printed dosage forms for tailored drug release, including single and multi-material complex 3D patterns with defined localised drug loading where a drug-free ink is used as a release-retarding barrier. For this, we used Compritol HD5 ATO (matrix material) and Fenofibrate (model drug) to prepare both drug-free and drug-loaded inks with drug concentrations varying between 5% and 30% (w/w). The printed constructs demonstrated the required physical properties and displayed immediate, extended, delayed and pulsatile drug release depending on drug localisation inside of the printed formulations. For the first time, this paper demonstrates that a commonly used pharmaceutical lipid, Compritol HD5 ATO, can be printed via hot-melt inkjet printing as single ink material, or in combination with a drug, without the need for additional solvents. Concurrently, this paper demonstrates the capabilities of dual material hot-melt inkjet 3D printing system to produce multi-material personalised solid dosage forms.

Development and Validation of a Simple, Green Infrared Spectroscopic Method for Quantitation of Sildenafil Citrate in Siloflam Tablets of Unknown Manufacturing Formula

A simple, easy-to-implement, and green infrared spectroscopic method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of sildenafil citrate in tablets of unknown manufacturing formula. Homogenized tablet powder with known mass content (%, m/m) of sildenafil citrate was mixed with paracetamol to form standard mixtures with different percentages of sildenafil citrate on the total quantity of sildenafil citrate and paracetamol (designated as R). Unknown tablet samples were finely ground and mixed with paracetamol to form test mixtures having R values about 50%. Infrared spectra of standard mixtures, measured in attenuated total reflectance mode, in the wavenumber zone from 1800 cm^-1 to 1300 cm^-1 were selected and processed by partial least square regression to form the calibration model for quantitation of sildenafil citrate in unknown samples. Spectral responses of test mixtures and the calibration model were used to determine the exact mass content (%, m/m) of sildenafil citrate in the powder of unknown tablet samples. The method was fully validated in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy according to the requirements of current guidelines and was proved as reliable and suitable for the intended application.

Imaging Analysis Enables Differentiation of the Distribution of Pharmaceutical Ingredients in Tacrolimus Ointments

We demonstrated the difference in the distribution state of pharmaceutical ingredients between tacrolimus (TCR) original ointment and six kinds of generic medicines. Two-dimensional imaging and depth analysis using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy and confocal Raman microscopy were used, in addition to the evaluation of pharmaceutical properties, including spreading properties, rheological properties, and amount of solvent. The solvents, such as propylene carbonate and triacetin, in TCR ointments formed liquid droplets and dispersed in hydrocarbon oils. Waxes, white beeswax and beeswax, formed other domains. Confocal Raman microscopy could detect liquid droplet size without coalescence of that on germanium or glass surfaces. The combination of ATR FT-IR and confocal Raman imaging would be a powerful tool to reveal the size and shape of liquid droplets of pharmaceutical ingredients in semisolid formulations.

Determination of concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient of seven solvents in polystyrene systems using FTIR-ATR technique: experimental and mathematical studies

In the present study a new mathematical model's outcome based on experimental data is considered to determine the diffusion coefficients in polystyrene/solvent systems as a function of solvent concentration.

Infrared spectroscopy with heated attenuated total internal reflectance enabling precise measurement of thermally induced transitions in complex biological polymers

We report an improved tool for acquiring temperature-resolved fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra of complex polymer systems undergoing thermal transitions, illustrated by application to several phenomena related to starch gelatinization that have proved difficult to study by other means. Starch suspensions from several botanical origins were gelatinized using a temperature-controlled attenuated total reflectance (ATR) crystal, with IR spectra collected every 0.25 °C. By following the 995/1022 cm(-1) peak ratio, clear transitions occurring between 59 and 70 °C were observed, for which the midpoints could be determined accurately by sigmoidal fits. The magnitude of the change in peak ratio was found to be strongly correlated to the enthalpy of gelatinization as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, R(2) = 0.988). An important advantage of the technique, compared to DSC, is that the signal-to-noise ratio is not reduced when measuring very broad transitions. This has the potential to allow more precise determination of the gelatinization parameters of high-amylose starches, for which gelatinization may take place over several tens of °C.

Pharmaceutical evaluation of steroidal ointments by ATR-IR chemical imaging: distribution of active and inactive pharmaceutical ingredients

We recently used micro attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy to conduct imaging analysis of ointments and evaluate the distributions of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipients. An alclometasone dipropionate (ALC) ointment was used as a model product. Almeta, a brand-name product, had a domain with absorbance at 1656 cm(-1) attributable to the carbonyl group of ALC, the API. Absorbances at 1040 and 3300 cm(-1) were also noted in this domain, indicating the presence of the solubilizer, propylene glycol. Data also suggested the presence of benzyl alcohol in this domain. More detailed analysis showed the distribution of surfactants and other excipients in the base. Similar results were obtained for Vitra, a generic version of Almeta. Imaging analysis with micro ATR-IR confirmed that both ointments are liquid droplet dispersions with ALC dissolved in propylene glycol and dispersed in a base. However, minor differences in the ingredient distributions of the two ointments were detected and reflect differences in excipient concentrations and type, or manufacturing differences. In summary, we used micro ATR-IR for imaging analysis of an original ointment, Almeta, and its generic form Vitra, and established a method for visually evaluating the distributions of the API and excipients in these ointments.

Optical methods for measurements of skin penetration

Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic (PAS), photothermal deflection (PDS) and Raman spectroscopy belong to the modern innovative noninvasive analytical tools that are beginning to be recognized as highly potential techniques for the noninvasive study of biological tissues and human skin under in vivo conditions. They can be applied to obtain information regarding the molecular composition of the skin down to several hundred micrometers below the skin surface. All three methods allow depth-resolved investigations. While PAS and PDS use a frequency modulation of the excitation beam to reach deeper regions in the sample, the principle of confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM) is a movement of the specimen in the focal plane. In consideration of depth measurements PAS and PDS complete the applicable spectrum of CRM, since Raman microscopy requires particular transparent materials.

Pharmaceutical applications of Mid-IR and Raman spectroscopy

Mid-IR and Raman spectroscopy are versatile tools in pharmaceutics and biopharmaceutics, with a wide field of applications ranging from characterization of drug formulations to elucidation of kinetic processes in drug delivery. After an introduction to the basic principles of IR and Raman spectroscopy, new developments in applications of these methods for studying drug delivery systems, in particular topical drug delivery, will be reviewed. FTIR-ATR is a well-established standard method used to study drug release in semisolid formulations, drug penetration, and influence of penetration modifiers; it is also capable of in vivo studies. FTIR-PAS has been applied to measure drug content in semisolid and solid formulations, to determine drug penetration into artificial and biological membranes. The big advantage of this technique is the possibility of spectral depth profiling. However, FTIR-PAS is so far limited to in vitro investigations. Raman spectroscopy can be used to characterize the structure of colloidal drug carrier systems. Raman spectroscopy is readily applicable to in vivo studies, but such investigations must fulfill the relevant laser safety guideline. Recently, there has been tremendous technical improvement in vibrational microspectroscopy. FTIR imaging shows great promise in its ability to visualize the drug and excipient distribution in pharmaceutical formulations such as tablets and therapeutic transdermal systems, as well as to reveal the mechanism of drug release. Furthermore, this unique technique offers completely new possibilities to study the lateral diffusion of drugs.

ATR-FTIR characterization of transport properties of benzoic acid ion-pairs in silicone membranes

A novel technique based on Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the transport of benzoic acid ion-pairs/salts in silicone membranes. The benzoic acid ion-pairs were prepared using various counter-ions with different degrees of lipophilicity, e.g. triethylamine (TA), diethylamine (DE), tert-butylamine (t-BA), 2-amino-2-methyl-propanol (AMP), and 2-amino-2-methyl-propanediol (AMPD). Silicone membrane, treated or untreated with propylene glycol (PG), was placed on the surface of a ZnSe crystal and the transport solution was applied to the upper surface of the membrane. A mathematical model, based on Fick's second law describing the build up of permeant concentration at the membrane/crystal interface with time was applied to determine diffusion coefficients. Absorption due to the acid (1700 cm(-1)) or benzoate anion (1555 cm(-1)) was observed at different regions without the interference from PG or silicone membrane. Benzoate anion, a charged species, was observed to permeate the membrane. The permeation of benzoate anion from sodium benzoate and polar ion-pairs of AMP and AMPD was very low in contrast to their high-saturated concentrations in PG as compared to the t-BA ion-pair. This indicated that benzoate anion preferentially permeates the membrane as an ion-pair rather than a single anion; otherwise its permeation should correspond to its concentration in PG instead of the lipophilicity of the ion-pairs. Additionally, the diffusion coefficient values of benzoic acid and benzoate anions through the treated and untreated membranes were not statistically different.

Penetration of compounds through human stratum corneum as studied by Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy

The penetration of the lipophilic model permeant, 1-cyanodecane, into isolated human stratum corneum (SC) was followed nondestructively by step-scan Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) with phase modulation technique. The uptake of the compound in the SC was quantified by monitoring the alterations in the spectra in the course of the penetration using multivariate analysis. Step-scan technique in conjunction with phase modulation offers the possibility for controllable depth profiling (sampling depth up to 30 microm) during the penetration process. Based on Fick's second law and assuming a virtually layered structure of the membrane, depth-dependent diffusion coefficients were derived by numerical fitting of the spectroscopic data. For 1-cyanodecane, the diffusion coefficient in the inner region of the SC is 1.6-fold that measured in the outer region.