title: Evaluation of the performance characteristics of bilayer tablets: Part II. Impact of environmental conditions on the strength of bilayer tablets.
abstract: Ambient air humidity and temperature are known to influence the mechanical strength of tablets. The objective of this work is to understand the influence of processing parameters and environmental conditions (humidity and temperature) on the strength of bilayer tablets. As part of this study, bilayer tablets were compressed with different layer ratios, dwell times, layer sequences, material properties (plastic and brittle), first and second layer forces, and lubricant concentrations. Compressed tablets were stored in stability chambers controlled at predetermined conditions (40C/45%RH, 40C/75%RH) for 1, 3, and 5 days. The axial strength of the stored tablets was measured and a statistical model was developed to determine the effects of the aforementioned factors on the strength of bilayer tablets. As part of this endeavor, a full 3 × 2(4) factorial design was executed. Responses of the experiments were analyzed using PROC GLM of SAS (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, North Carolina, USA). A model was fit using all the responses to determine the significant interactions (p < 0.05). Results of this study indicated that storage conditions and storage time have significant impact on the strength of bilayer tablets. For Avicel-lactose and lactose-Avicel tablets, tablet strength decreased with the increasing humidity and storage time. But for lactose-lactose tablets, due to the formation of solid bridges upon storage, an increase in tablet strength was observed. Significant interactions were observed between processing parameters and storage conditions on the strength of bilayer tablets.
authors.affiliation: Drug Product Science and Technology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA. cuitino@jove.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Niranjan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kottala
authors.forename: Admassu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sprockel
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergum
authors.forename: Faranak
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nikfar
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cuitiño
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000379:methods; D006813:Humidity; D007785:Lactose / Q000737:chemistry; D011312:Pressure; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D013607:Tablets / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D013229:Stearic Acids; D013607:Tablets; C031183:stearic acid; D002482:Cellulose; D007785:Lactose