Tablet formulation studies on nimesulide and meloxicam-cyclodextrin binary systems

Evaluation of the effect of physical variables on in vitro release of diclofenac pellets using Box-Behnken design

OBJECTIVES

A Box-Behnken design was used for evaluation of Eudragit coated diclofenac pellets. The purpose of this work was to optimize diclofenac pellets to improve the physicochemical properties using experimental design.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Diclofenac was loaded onto the non-pareil beads using conventional coating pan. Film coating of pellets was done at the same pan. The effect of plasticizer level, curing temperature and curing time was determined on the release of diclofenac from pellets coated with polymethacrylates.

RESULTS

Increasing the plasticizer in the coating formula led to decrease in drug release and increasing the curing temperature and time resulted in higher drug release. The optimization process generated an optimum of 35% drug release at 3 hr. The level of plasticizer concentration, curing temperature and time were 20% w/w, 55 °C and 24 hr, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that by controllinig the physical variables optimum drug release were obtained.

Pharmaceutical composition of hydrochlorothiazide:β-cyclo-dextrin: preparation by three different methods, physico-chemical characterization and in vivo diuretic activity evaluation

Hydrochlorothiazide is a common diuretic antihypertensive drug of the thiazide family. Its poor aqueous solubility is one of the reasons for its limited bioavailability after oral administration. This work aimed at the development of a hydrochlorothiazide:β-cyclodextrin (HTZ:β-CD) pharmaceutical composition in order to improve water solubility and bioavailability of the drug. The HTZ:β-CD complexes were prepared by three different methods: spray-drying, freeze-drying and fluid bed. Complexes were characterized by thermal analysis, Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry, NMR (2D-ROESY), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle analysis and intrinsic dissolution. The findings reveal that three binary systems prepared presented better solubility results in comparison with free HTZ. Increased diuretic effect was observed to HTZ:β-CD obtained by fluid bed in comparison to free drug in rats. Results taken together suggest that pharmacological effect of HTZ in complex was increased by solubility improvement promoted by cyclodextrin.

Comparison of physicomechanical properties of films prepared from organic solutions and aqueous dispersion of Eudragit RL

BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Mechanical properties of films prepared from aqueous dispersion and organic solutions of Eudragit RL were assessed and the effects of plasticizer type, concentration and curing were examined.

METHODS

Films were prepared from aqueous dispersion and solutions of Eudragit RL (isopropy alcohol-water 9:1) containing 0, 10 or 20% (based on polymer weight) of PEG 400 or Triethyl Citrate (TEC) as plasticizer using casting method. Samples of films were stored in oven at 60°C for 24 hrs (Cured). The stress-strain curve was obtained for each film using material testing machine and tensile strength, elastic modulus, %elongation and work of failure were calculated.

RESULTS AND MAJOR CONCLUSION

The films with no plasticizer showed different mechanical properties depending on the vehicle used. Addition of 10% or 20% of plasticizer decreased the tensile strength and elastic modulus and increased %elongation and work of failure for all films. The effect of PEG 400 on mechanical properties of Eudragit RL films was more pronounced. The differences in mechanical properties of the films due to vehicle decreased with addition of plasticizer and increase in its concentration. Curing process weakened the mechanical properties of the films with no plasticizer and for films with 10% plasticizer no considerable difference in mechanical properties was observed before and after curing. For those with 20% plasticizer only films prepared from aqueous dispersion showed remarkable difference in mechanical properties before and after curing. Results of this study suggest that the mechanical properties of the Eudragit RL films were affected by the vehicle, type of plasticizer and its concentration in the coating liquid.

A pilot human pharmacokinetic study and influence of formulation factors on orodispersible tablet incorporating meloxicam solid dispersion using factorial design

Meloxicam (MLX) suffers from poor aqueous solubility leading to slow absorption following oral administration; hence, immediate release MLX tablet is unsuitable in the treatment of acute pain. This study aims to overcome such a drawback by increasing MLX solubility and dissolution using PEG solid dispersion (SD), then, to investigate the feasibility of incorporating the SD into orodispersible tablets (ODTs). A 2(3) full factorial design was employed to investigate the influence of three formulation variables on MLX ODTs. The selected factors: camphor (X(1)) as pore-forming material, and croscarmellose sodium (X(2)) as superdisintegrant, showed significant positive influence, while PEG content (X(3)) was proved to negatively affect both disintegration and wetting times. In addition, isomalt increased disintegration and wetting times when compared to mannitol as diluents. The pharmacokinetic assessment of the optimum ODT formulation in healthy human subjects proved that the faster MLX dissolution by using PEG solid dispersion at pH 6.8 resulted in more rapid absorption of MLX. The rate of absorption of MLX from ODT was significantly faster (p = 0.030) with a significantly higher peak plasma concentration (P = 0.037) when compared to the marketed immediate release MLX tablet with a mean oral disintegration time of 17 ± 3 s.