title: Development of a fast dissolving film of epinephrine hydrochloride as a potential anaphylactic treatment for pediatrics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a fast dissolving film strip containing epinephrine HCl for the potential treatment of pediatric anaphylaxis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four different films have been prepared by solvent casting technique where the percentages of the polymer (Lycoat RS720) were optimized. The polymer percentages were (20%, 25%, 27% and 30%) of the total formulation weighs. The thickness and elastic modulus of the optimized film was evaluated using dynamic mechanical analyzer. Epinephrine content uniformity was assessed using UV at wavelength 280 nm. For the dissolution test, fast dissolving films (FDFs) were evaluated in 500 Simulated Saliva, with 50 rpm. In vivo taste and disintegration evaluation was performed on six healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Films formed by formulations 1, 2 and 3 were too sticky after drying, while formulation 4 that has 30% polymer content formed smooth, transparent, flexible and uniform film, and therefore, it was selected for further testing. The value of elastic modulus was determined at 1.325 MPa. The thickness of the film at different locations was measured at 0.29 mm. Drug content in film was measured at 93% ±10. More than 90% of epinephrine was released from the film within 7.2 min. Bitterness of epinephrine was masked efficiently according to volunteer's comments with average disintegration time of 20 s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents potential proof for using FDFs as a replacement therapy of epinephrine injections for pediatrics.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Alaadin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alayoubi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Medicine , University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.affiliation: c College of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University , MS , USA.
authors.forename: Hemlata
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: d Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy , Cairo University, College of Pharmacy , Cairo , Egypt , and.
authors.forename: Baher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daihom
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Pharmacy , University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Helms
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Almoazen
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002648:Child; D004837:Epinephrine; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D011108:Polymers; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Anaphylaxis; Lycoat; epinephrine; fast dissolving film strip