title: Melt-blown and electrospun drug-loaded polymer fiber mats for dissolution enhancement: a comparative study.
abstract: Melt blowing (MB) was investigated to prepare a fast dissolving fibrous drug-loaded solid dispersion and compared with solvent-based electrospinning (SES) and melt electrospinning (MES). As a conventional solvent-free technique coupled with melt extrusion and using a high-speed gas stream, MB can provide high-quality micro- and nanofibers at industrial throughput levels. Carvedilol, a weak-base model drug with poor water solubility, was processed using a common composition optimized for the fiber spinning and blowing methods based on a hydrophilic vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer (PVPVA64) and PEG 3000 plasticizer. Scanning electron microscopy combined with fiber diameter analysis showed diameter distributions characteristic to each prepared fibrous fabrics (the mean value increased toward SES<MB<MES). Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the incorporated drug was in amorphous form regardless the preparation method. The HPLC studies demonstrated that all of the materials produced by the different techniques passed the regulatory purity requirements. The fibers exhibited ultrafast drug release tested under neutral pH conditions; the melt-blown sample dissolved within 2 min owing to its large specific surface area. The presented results confirm the applicability of MB as a novel formulation technique for polymer-based drug delivery systems.
authors.affiliation: Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Organic Chemistry and Technology Department, Budapest, H-1111, Hungary.
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Kornél
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faragó
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Van Assche
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verreck
authors.forename: Zsombor K
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marosi
mesh_terms: D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011108:Polymers
keywords: HPLC; continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing; electrospinning; enhanced dissolution rate; extrusion; melt blowing; melt electrospinning; oral drug delivery; solid dispersion; viscosity