Browsing by discipline "Farmaceutisk teknologi"

Solid materials can exist in two major forms: in crystalline or amorphous form. Amorphous form is defined as no long term order existing in solid structure in molecular scale. Amorphous materials have different physicochemical properties compared crystalline forms of same substance. Amorphous materials doesn't have sharp melting point as crystalline materials. When heated above so called glass transition temperature amorphous materials become rubbery (plasticization) and when cooled below they become glassy (hard and brittle). Amorphous forms can also have different dissolution properties which makes them useful in formulation of poorly soluble drugs. Amorphous forms are less stable compared to crystalline form. That's due amount of free energy stored in it's structures. Amorphous materials can be manufactured in many ways including quench cooling, hot-melt-extrusion, spray drying and lyophilisation (freeze drying). In experimental section effect of grinding method in properties of amorphous indomethacin was studied. Amorphous indomethacin was prepared by quenching of melt in liquid nitrogen. Properties of amorphous indomethacin was studied by x-ray powder diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Measurements were performed in different time stamps varied form 0 to 92 days. Measured properties were crystalline content, glass transition temperature, change in heath capacity, heat of crystallization, heat of melting and melting points of crystallized forms. Calorimetry data was recorded only from totally amorphous samples. It can be seen in results that different patches are not comparable statistically but when comparing room temperature ground and liquid nitrogen ground samples to each other differences can be found in every set. Difference is observed in initial time of crystallization (time when crystallinity can be measured first time) and in thermodynamical properties such as change in heat capacity, glass transition temperature and heat of melting. Solid dispersions of indomethacin and xylitol were prepared in 3 different compositions (5%, 10% and 20% xylitol in indomethacin). XRPD and DSC data were measured at different time stamps (aged 1 to 63 days). 5% and 10% dispersions found to be stabile and being amorphous in all time stamps. 20% dispersion was already partly crystallized at 63 days (especially liquid nitrogen ground sample).

Nowadays, there is still lack of commercially produced drugs for children. Extemporaneous compounding is needed widespread. Oral powders, capsules and oral suspensions are the most typical extemporaneous dosage forms. In Finland, oral powders have traditionally been the most used. Major concern relating to the extemporaneous products is that they are not authorized. That means that their safety and effectiveness have not been established. Compounding oral powders is time consuming and their overall mass is much higher compared to capsules with same strength. That increases the amount of foreign matter in child patients, which is highly not recommended. The aim of this study was to examine, whether the extemporaneous sotalolhydrochloride capsules meet European Pharmacopoeia standards of content uniformity. Additionally, because the feeding tubes are widely used in neonatal patients, it was also reasoned to examine the content uniformity of capsules lead through the feeding tube. A significant part of this study was to develop an accurate and effective HPLC -method for analyzing sotalolhydrochloride, which, in the end, turned out well. With its seven minute driving time per sample, it is suitable even in routine analysis. Two of three capsule batches, as well as the oral powders, met the European Pharmacopoeia standards of content uniformity. Also, leading the capsule contents through the feeding tubes met the standards, but the amount of drug substance was significantly lower compared to capsules and oral powders. With lower overall mass and being quicker to prepare, capsules are recommendable option for traditional oral powders in extemporaneous children's medication. Still, according to this study, it is important to take into consideration the possibility of excessive variation in content uniformity. Thus, in the future, it is necessary to develop the quality control systems in hospital pharmacies.

Casein based formulations are promising materials for controlled drug release. Caseins are the major milk proteins, and their biocompatibility, low toxicity and natural metabolism in physiological systems make caseins extremely suitable materials for pharmaceutical formulations. Polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles can be prepared under very mild conditions, and they are stable in the gastrointestinal tract, which makes them suitable carrier materials for oral delivery and controlled release of peptide and protein drugs. Aim of this work was to synthesize casein-poly(acrylic acid) polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles in different mass ratios, and to study the release profile of a model compound rhodamine 6G from these nanoparticles. The casein shell of the nanoparticles was crosslinked with two different crosslinkers, because the objective was to study the effect of surface modification on size of nanoparticles as well as on the release profile of the model compound. The goal was to achieve controlled release of the model compound by modifying the thickness and the density of the casein shell structure. Size and size distribution of nanoparticles was studied by dynamic light scattering. Surface charge was studied by electrophoretic mobility measurements. Morphology was characterized with electron microscopy, and the effect of the casein shell thickness on the release of rhodamine 6G was studied with dialysis method. The synthesized nanoparticles had spherical morphology, but the size distribution was wide. The release of rhodamine 6G was slower from the nanoparticles when compared to the release of reference free rhodamine 6G, but the effect of casein shell thickness on the release of loaded rhodamine 6G remained partially unclear. However, it seems possible to achieve controlled release of encapsulated compounds from casein-poly(acrylic acid) nanoparticles with optimal surface modification in the future.

The main goal of this thesis was to examine the effect of the compaction speed on the compressional behaviour of two excipients, microcrystalline cellulose and starch, using an eccentric and rotary presses. First, the average weights of the tablets have changed due to the increasing speed, as the volume of die kept constant. They were grown, for eccentric press, or were reduced, for rotary press. Second, Compression force, needed to obtain tablets with similar strength, was increased during both tableting methods. The eccentric compaction was more stable regarding to the speed increase. Tablets were formed from all of the blends, with more or less success. Additionally, as a result of force increase, resulted tablets were denser and less porous because of speed expansions during eccentric press. However, the blends containing 80% or more starch were not able to form tablets during the rotary press, because of the very poor die filling. Furthermore, blend containing 60% starch has shown very poor tabletability at speeds over 34 rounds per minute. The elastic recovery of tablets was very sensitive to the speed rises and to the concentrations of excipients during the eccentric press. Tablets have demonstrated an increase in their elastic recovery values in all cases. However, the tablets with a higher concentrations of starch were significantly more sensitive to the increasing compaction velocity. According to these results, it can be concluded that the starch exhibit more elasticity than microcrystalline cellulose. The effect of magnesium stearate on tablets' properties, such as the weight and the porosity, and compaction parameters, such as ejection force have also examined. As it expected from boundary lubricants, magnesium stearate has significantly reduced the ejection force values, required for removing the tablet from the die, compared with unlubricated tablets. Additionally, tablets with lubricants were heavier and more porous. The compression force was adjusted according to the crushing strength values in rotary press. This was due to the fracture variations of such tablets during diametrical compression, which would give unreliable values of tensile strength. Moreover, elastic recovery, porosity, density values were not calculated for scored tablet, due to either the lack of punch displacement data from rotational machine or the relative complexity of measuring the volume of such tablets. If these values had been available for both machines, their comparison with respect to these parameters would be possible and the results of this thesis would have been more appropriate.

Eläinlääkkeiden kehitys kokee nykyaikana huomattavia muutoksia. Perinteisesti 70 % eläinlääkkeistä on ollut tarkoitettu tuotantoeläimille, mutta lemmikkieläinten lääkkeiden kulutus kasvaa jatkuvasti. Transdermaalisen antotavan tärkeitä etuja ovat maksassa tapahtuvan LA:n alkureitin metabolian vähentäminen, noninvasiivisuus ja eläinten omistajan hoitomyöntävyyden parantaminen. Usein kuitenkin eläimille joudutaan käyttämään ihmiselle tarkoitettuja lääkkeitä sopivien eläinlääkkeiden puuttumisen takia Meloksikaami on oksikaamiluokkaan kuuluva, alun perin ihmiskäyttöön kehitetty, tulehduskipulääke jonka indikaatio 1990 luvun lopussa laajennettiin eläinkäyttöön. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kehittää meloksikaamin preformulaation, jonka in-vitro transdermaalinen virtausnopeus on riittävän korkea meloksikaamin transdermaaliseen annosteluun sialle. Formulointi strategioiksi valittiin keräliuottimien, meloksikaamin liukoisuutta sekä ihon penetraatiota parantavien aineiden käyttö. Formulatioiden perimiaatiokokeita suoritettiin sian ihon preparaattien ja Franz diffusiosolujen avulla, joissa luovuttajakammiossa oli tutkittava formulaatio ja vastaanjottajakammiossa - PB 7,4/saliiniliuos. Sian ihon preparaatti oli valmistettu sian korvan ihosta. Valittujen keräliuottimien ja penetraatiota parantavien aineiden käyttö todettiin tehottomaksi keinoksi nostamaan transdermaalista virtausnopeutta. Tutkimuksen päämäärän saavuttamiseksi päätettiin syntesoida ja kokeilla Enhancer-S:ksi nimitettyä ainetta, joka sekä nostaa meloksikaamin liukoisuutta formulaatiossa että vaikuttaa ihon permeabiliteettiin. Permiaatiokokeiden jälkeen todettiin Enhancer-S apuaineen lisäävän meloksikaamin transdermaalista virtausnopeutta 22 µg/(h·cm2) asti. Todettu meloksikaamin virtausnopeuden taso riittää ylläpitämään 21,5 mg:n vuorokausiannoksen formulaation pinta-alan olevan 41 cm2 (6,4 cm x 6,4 cm).

As the development of new active ingredients is becoming more expensive and difficult, the development of new and better dosage forms, like multiparticulate systems, has become more attractive. Multiparticulate systems can be defined as oral dosage forms consisting of small discrete units together providing desired dose. Usually the small units are round pellets approximately 0.5-1.5mm in size. Multiparticulate systems can enhance the properties of already existing active ingredients or reduce the unwanted side effects. The properties can be alternated also by preparing the system as the enteric formulation, which resists the acidic environment of the stomach and releases the active ingredients in the small intestine due to the pH change. The enteric delivery is used mainly to enhance the absorption of acid-labile drugs or to reduce the side-effects of stomach irritating drugs, like iron. Prepared pellets contained iron in sulphate form and they were pelletized with Nica extruder/spheronization system. The pellets contained also ascorbic acid to maintain the iron in its reduced form during iron release and absorption. Microcrystalline cellulose enabled the pellet formation and Eudragit L 30 D-55 was used in the coating to protect the drug containing pellets from the stomach's acidic environment. Some of the pellets were subcoated before the enteric coating. The subcoating contained part of the ascorbic acid and iron sulphate and the film forming water soluble hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, HPMC. Other pellets were coated directly with the enteric coat while 100% of the ascorbic acid and iron sulphate were located in the core pellets. The coating was performed in fluidized bed. The iron concentration was determined with UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Iron itself did not absorb light but with o-phenanthroline it formed orange-red complex which absorbed visible light absorption maximum being at the wavelength of 510 nm. In order to ensure the full absorption the enteric iron products need to release the iron rabidly after they enter the small intestine. Approximately 15-20% (w/w) of enteric coating was needed to fulfill the 5% release limit per hour in dissolution test in 0.1 HCl defined by authorities. The release rate was comparable to a commercially available product. The subcoating did not have a considerable effect to the release rate. The iron precipitated to the pellet surface either during extrusion/spheronization process or drying. 1% Tween 80, 3% Kollidon K-25 and 5 and 10% Eudragit L 30 D-55 solutions were used as pelletizing liquid in order to reduce the precipitation. The 3% Kollidon K-25 produced visually best pellets but some pellets were clued together during the process. The possible retardation in release was not tested.

The roller compaction is a dry granulation method which is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of the roller compaction is to increase the particle size, narrow the particle size distribution and improve the powder flowability. In the roller compaction process, powder is fed between two press rolls. The relevant process parameters of the roller compaction (roll pressure, roll speed and feed screw speed) affect the formed briquette or ribbon density. The briquette is broken down and sieved by using a crusher. General problems of the roller compaction are incompressible fine powder and the low yield. AGS (Aerodynamic Granulating System) is a patented supplement for the roller compaction. Its operation is based on the air flow which sucks the fine particles out of the granule mix. The granules and the fine particles are collected into their own containers. When the system is fully optimized the fine particles can be recycled between the press rolls (a closed loop). In this case, it is possible to get close to 100 % batch yields. The experimental design of this study was a modified central composite design with three variables and two value levels which was used to find the optimal combinations of the process parameters. The purpose of this study was to compare the gas assisted and the conventional roller compaction methods. The physical properties of granules and tablets made of these granules were compared. The strengths and weaknesses in AGS process were also studied and development ideas for the future were planned. Microcrystalline cellulose was used in this study as a model excipient. The study showed that the granules made by the AGS require higher compression forces in tableting process than conventional granules. The reason for this could be the lower number of contact points between the particles, since the fine particles were removed from the granule mix. The low compression pressure, fairly fast roll speed and small sieve size created good quality granules. The flowability and compression properties of these granules were good as well as particle size distribution. In this study, any major differences were not observed between these two granulation methods.

Some problems in dry powder inhaler formulation include low dose efficiency and changes in dispersibility during storage. For lung deposition particles should have aerodynamic size of 1 - 5µm. Poor dispersion of drug particles from carriers' surface is thought to be the main reason for low dose efficacy. A tertiary component of small particles has been generally added to formulation to improve fine particle dose. Small particles are usually manufactured by micronization. This may induce crystal defects and amorphous sites on the surface of crystals. Amorphous sites are metastable and they may crystallize during storing. Changes in particles crystallinity may have an action on efficiency and stability of dry powder inhalers. Conditioning is designated as stabilisation of particles surface by mixture of solvent vapour and inert gas. Vapour may also dissolve surface roughness. This is called deliquescence. Ostwald ripening is phenomenon whereby small particles dissolves and recrystallizes onto larger crystals. This can be extended for surface asperities. Amorphous materials have also better solubility than crystalline materials so amorphous sites may also dissolve and recrystallize onto crystalline surface. Amorphous sites may crystallize spontaneously by absorbing plasticizing agents from vapour phase or by influence of temperature. The purpose of this work was to study process variables in conditioning and their effect on modification of surface roughness and stabilization of micronized α-lactose monohydrate and test drug substance. The purpose was also to study how surface modification and stabilization effects on powders flowability and stability of dry powder inhaler. The dry powder inhaler contained two different vicinity of lactose and two different drug substances. Conditioning was based on evaporation of liquid from open surface. Studied process variables were temperature of powder, temperature of bath of liquid phase and flow rate of nitrogen gas. The aim of this study was to form a process design for conditioning of new substances, to improve powders flowability and to remove changes in fine particle dose during storage. Surface roughness was studied by laser diffraction analysis and specific surface area measurements and also by electron microscopy. Specific surface area was measured by nitrogen adsorption method. Stabilization of amorphous sites ware studied by dynamic vapour sorption. Flowability was measured by angle of repose and with FlowPro device. Fine particle dose was measured with next generator impactor device. The study showed that increasing the amount of solvent in vapour increases surface smoothness and stabilization. Also increase of temperature of sample increased stabilization. Influence of temperature on surface smoothness was not as clear. Changes in temperature may have altered adsorption and kinetic of crystallization of dissolved molecules. Flowability of lactose was significantly improved. Condition did not improve dry powder inhalers fine particle dose, but there was significant difference between different process conditions. This was concluded to be caused of surface modification. It was also shown that different process conditions affected on formulations stability.

Most new drug molecules discovered today suffer from poor bioavailability. Poor oral bioavailability results mainly from poor dissolution properties of hydrophobic drug molecules, because the drug dissolution is often the rate-limiting event of the drug's absorption through the intestinal wall into the systemic circulation. During the last few years, the use of mesoporous silica and silicon particles as oral drug delivery vehicles has been widely studied, and there have been promising results of their suitability to enhance the physicochemical properties of poorly soluble drug molecules. Mesoporous silica and silicon particles can be used to enhance the solubility and dissolution rate of a drug by incorporating the drug inside the pores, which are only a few times larger than the drug molecules, and thus, breaking the crystalline structure into a disordered, amorphous form with better dissolution properties. Also, the high surface area of the mesoporous particles improves the dissolution rate of the incorporated drug. In addition, the mesoporous materials can also enhance the permeability of large, hydrophilic drug substances across biological barriers. T he loading process of drugs into silica and silicon mesopores is mainly based on the adsorption of drug molecules from a loading solution into the silica or silicon pore walls. There are several factors that affect the loading process: the surface area, the pore size, the total pore volume, the pore geometry and surface chemistry of the mesoporous material, as well as the chemical nature of the drugs and the solvents. Furthermore, both the pore and the surface structure of the particles also affect the drug release kinetics. In this study, the loading of itraconazole into mesoporous silica (Syloid AL-1 and Syloid 244) and silicon (TOPSi and TCPSi) microparticles was studied, as well as the release of itraconazole from the microparticles and its stability after loading. Itraconazole was selected for this study because of its highly hydrophobic and poorly soluble nature. Different mesoporous materials with different surface structures, pore volumes and surface areas were selected in order to evaluate the structural effect of the particles on the loading degree and dissolution behaviour of the drug using different loading parameters. The loaded particles were characterized with various analytical methods, and the drug release from the particles was assessed by in vitro dissolution tests. The results showed that the loaded drug was apparently in amorphous form after loading, and that the loading process did not alter the chemical structure of the silica or silicon surface. Both the mesoporous silica and silicon microparticles enhanced the solubility and dissolution rate of itraconazole. Moreover, the physicochemical properties of the particles and the loading procedure were shown to have an effect on the drug loading efficiency and drug release kinetics. Finally, the mesoporous silicon particles loaded with itraconazole were found to be unstable under stressed conditions (at 38 qC and 70 % relative humidity).

Pharmaceutical nanocrystals are under one micrometer sized crystals composed of pure active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and stabilizer. Their apparent dissolution rate is improved compared to conventionally sized crystals. Rapid dissolution is mainly due to increased intrinsic surface area of API powder. Solubility increase is significant only with very small, under 100 nm crystals. Nanocrystal formulations with improved dissolution rates can be utilized to increase bioavailability of fairly insoluble BCS class II APIs. Few nanocrystal based products are already on market. Common methods for dissolution study of nanocrystals arecompendial dissolution apparatus 1 or 2, which usually rely on sampling and separation of undissolved fraction. The reliability of these methods is dependent of the separation efficiency. Unfortunately separation becomes more tedious with diminishing crystal size. Thus it would be desirable to replace the methods that require sampling and separation with methods that do not require separation of undissolved fraction (in situ methods), preferably with continuous detection. With the dialysis method the separation is easily achieved. However, the rate limiting step is not dissolution but diffusion through the dialysis membrane. Electrochemical in situ detection methods can only be applied to electroactive APIs. Utilization of in situ UV probes for monitoring nanocrystal dissolution is limited by the UV absorbance of the nanocrystals themselves. To date, light scattering methods have mainly been applied to solubility studies, with few attempts on dissolution studies. In this study the light scattering, dialysis and compendial paddle methods were compared for their ability to monitor the dissolution of indometacin nanosuspensions (NS). Light scattering experiments were performed with Zetasizer equipment. Three poloxamer 188 stabilized NSs, with average diameters (Dz) of 300 nm, 600 nm, and 900 nm, were evaluated. Dissolution studies were executed in sink conditions (under 30% of saturated concentration) and in slightly higher concentration (intermediate conc., 30-50% of saturated concentration) at pH 5.5. The compendial paddle method was performed on the same suspensions with the same medium at intermediate concentration. In the dialysis method the studied NS had a Dz value of 350 nm. The pH of the dissolution medium was 7.4, and the membrane was made of regenerated cellulose. Experimental results were fitted to exponential equation and the dissolution time DT, i.e. time to reach 99% dissolution, was determined based on the equation. In sink conditions the dissolution of all of the NSs was so rapid that reliable estimations of dissolution times could not be made with the light scattering method. In intermediate concentration the dissolution time (51±12 s) of the 300 nm NS was significantly lower than those of 600 nm (340±80 s) and 900 nm (230±50 s) NSs with a confidence level of 5%. The slowest dissolution of the 600 nm NS could be attributed to its broad crystal size distribution. With the compendial paddle method no significant differences in dissolution times could be detected. Compendial dissolution times, about 600-700 s, were markedly longer than those from light scattering experiments. The dialysis method was unable to discriminate between 350 nm NS and indometacin solution, which can be explained by rapid dissolution of the nanocrystals, followed by slow diffusion across the dialysis membrane. Of the studied methods, light scattering was the only one to discriminate between dissolution times of various NSs. It was most applicable to narrow crystal size distributions. It is a fairly small scale method requiring only 1 mL of dissolution medium and about 10 µg of nanocrystals. The method was not dependent on chemical analysis. Theost important limitation was the fact that due to the operational method of the Zetasizer, the first data point was not acquired until about 20 s after the measurement started.