Utilising terahertz pulsed imaging to analyse the anhydrous-to-hydrate transformation of excipients during immediate release film coating hydration.

Pharmaceutical tablets are routinely film-coated to improve appearance, reduce medication errors and enhance storage stability. Terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) can be utilised to study the liquid penetration into the porous tablet matrix in real time. Using polymer-coated flat-faced tablets with anhydrous lactose or mannitol, we show that when the tablet matrix contains anhydrous material, the anhydrous form transforms to the solid-state hydrate form in the tablet core while the immediate release coating dissolves.

Impact of immediate release film coating on the disintegration process of tablets.

Pharmaceutical tablets are often coated with a layer of polymeric material to protect the drug from environmental degradation, facilitate the packaging process, and enhance patient compliance. However, the detailed effects of such coating layers on drug release are not well understood. To investigate this, flat-faced pure microcrystalline cellulose tablets with a diameter of 13 mm and a thickness between 1.

Studying the dissolution of immediate release film coating using terahertz pulsed imaging.

Coated tablets introduce complexity to the dissolution process, even with readily soluble immediate release coating layers. Therefore, a more detailed understanding of the physical steps involved in the dissolution process can improve the efficiency of formulation and process design. The current study uses terahertz pulsed imaging to visualise the hydration process of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) tablet cores that were film coated with an immediate release coating formulation upon exposure to the dissolution medium.

Developing methodology to evaluate the oral sensory features of pharmaceutical tablet coatings.

Acceptability of medicines is critical for effective pharmacotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the oral sensory properties of tablet coatings to determine how mouthfeel can improve acceptability. A randomised double-blind study was performed in 84 adult volunteers (51% ≥55 years).

Investigation into the Effect of Ethylcellulose Viscosity Variation on the Drug Release of Metoprolol Tartrate and Acetaminophen Extended Release Multiparticulates-Part I.

Ethylcellulose is one of the most commonly used polymers to develop reservoir type extended release multiparticulate dosage forms. For multiparticulate extended release dosage forms, the drug release is typically governed by the properties of the barrier membrane coating. The ICH Pharmaceutical Development Guideline (ICH Q8) requires an understanding of the influence of critical material attributes and critical process parameters on the drug release of a pharmaceutical product.

Process optimization of a novel immediate release film coating system using QbD principles.

This work describes a quality-by-design (QbD) approach to determine the optimal coating process conditions and robust process operating space for an immediate release aqueous film coating system (Opadry® 200). Critical quality attributes (CQAs) or associated performance indicators of the coated tablets were measured while coating process parameters such as percent solids of the coating dispersion, coating spray rate, inlet air temperature, airflow rate and pan speed were varied, using a design of experiment protocol. The optimized process parameters were then confirmed by independent coating trials.