title: Novel oral fast-disintegrating drug delivery devices with predefined inner structure fabricated by Three-Dimensional Printing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Novel fast-disintegrating drug delivery devices with special inner structure characteristics were designed and fabricated using Three-Dimensional Printing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on computer-aided design models, fast-disintegrating drug delivery devices containing loose powders were prepared automatically using the Three-Dimensional Printing system. The inner powder regions were prepared by depositing the binder solutions onto selected regions during the layer-printing process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The devices showed acceptable pharmacotechnical properties and fine hardness (63.4 N/cm(2)) due to the synergistic action of several binding mechanisms, but unsatisfactory friability, with 3.55% total mass loss during the friability tests. Scanning electron microscope images clearly showed that the printed regions were well bound, and that the drug particle size was reduced or individual particles could no longer be distinguished. In contrast, the unprinted regions were uncompacted, with cracks and fissures among the loose mixed powder. All the drug delivery devices disintegrated and wetted rapidly in in-vitro tests. The average disintegration and wetting times were 23.4 s and 67.6 s, respectively. Dissolution tests showed that 98.5% of the drug was released within 2 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three-Dimensional Printing offers strategies for the development of novel oral fast-disintegrating drug delivery devices.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Deng-Guang
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xia-Xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Branford-White
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Xiang Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000737:chemistry*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012995:Solubility; D013607:Tablets; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013607:Tablets; D000082:Acetaminophen