title: Use of crospovidone as pelletization aid as alternative to microcrystalline cellulose: effects on pellet properties.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is the most important pelletization aid in extrusion/spheronization. Because of known disadvantages, the search for substitutes is ongoing. In this context, crospovidone has proven to offer substantial advantages as pelletization aid because of its ability to turn low-soluble active ingredients into fast-dissolving stable pellets.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pellets from crospovidone with different amounts of paracetamol, hydrochlorothiazide, and spironolactone as model drugs were prepared by extrusion/spheronization. For comparison, pellets with MCC as extrusion aid were also produced. The pellets of different formulations were evaluated in terms of yield, aspect ratio, mean Feret diameter, 10% interval fraction, tensile strength, disintegration, and drug release profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only crospovidone types exhibiting small particle sizes are suitable as pelletization aid. While maintaining the pharmaceutical quality aspects, it was possible to incorporate up to 60% (w/w) active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) into pellets with crospovidone. The most distinguished differences between pellets based on crospovidone and MCC are the disintegration and drug release behavior. The pellets containing binary mixtures of the low-soluble APIs and crospovidone resulted in fast release in contrast to the pellets with MCC as pelletization aid, which exhibited a slow release.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crospovidone shows an excellent behavior as pelletization aid and produces fast-releasing pellets even with low-soluble APIs.
authors.affiliation: Rottendorf Pharma GmbH, Ennigerloh, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verheyen
authors.forename: K-J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kleinebudde
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000737:chemistry; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D004343:Drug Implants / Q000737:chemistry*; D004355:Drug Stability; D005079:Excipients / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011205:Povidone / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004343:Drug Implants; D005079:Excipients; D014867:Water; D002482:Cellulose; D011205:Povidone; C109691:microcrystalline cellulose