title: Fast drying of biocompatible polymer films loaded with poorly water-soluble drug nano-particles via low temperature forced convection.
abstract: Fast drying of nano-drug particle laden strip-films formed using water-soluble biocompatible polymers via forced convection is investigated in order to form films having uniform drug distribution and fast dissolution. Films were produced by casting and drying a mixture of poorly water soluble griseofulvin (GF) nanosuspensions produced via media milling with aqueous hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC E15LV) solutions containing glycerin as a plasticizer. The effects of convective drying parameters, temperature and air velocity, and film-precursor viscosity on film properties were investigated. Two major drying regimes, a constant rate period as a function of the drying conditions, followed by a single slower falling rate period, were observed. Films dried in an hour or less without any irreversible aggregation of GF nanoparticles with low residual water content. Near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) and the content uniformity analysis indicated a better drug particle distribution when higher viscosity film-precursors were used. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that the GF in the films retained crystallinity and the polymorphic form. USP IV dissolution tests showed immediate release (~20 min) of GF. Overall, the films fabricated from polymer-based suspensions at higher viscosity dried at different conditions exhibited similar mechanical properties, improved drug content uniformity, and achieved fast drug dissolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Pharmaceutical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA.
authors.forename: Ramana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Susarla
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sievens-Figueroa
authors.forename: Anagha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhakay
authors.forename: Yueyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jackeline I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Jerez-Rozo
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engen
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khusid
authors.forename: Ecevit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bilgili
authors.forename: Rodolfo J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Romañach
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Michniak-Kohn
authors.forename: Rajesh N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Davé
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D018481:Convection; D003890:Desiccation / Q000379:methods*; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D006118:Griseofulvin / Q000737:chemistry*; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000737:chemistry; D033362:Powder Diffraction; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010968:Plasticizers; D014867:Water; D006118:Griseofulvin; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate; D065347:Hypromellose Derivatives; D008747:Methylcellulose; D005990:Glycerol
keywords: BCS class II drugs; Convective drying; Fast dissolution; Nanosuspensions; Pharmaceutical films