Use of spray-dried chitosan acetate and ethylcellulose as compression coats for colonic drug delivery: effect of swelling on triggering in vitro drug release.

Spray-dried chitosan acetate (CSA) and ethylcellulose (EC) were used as new compression coats for 5-aminosalicylic acid tablets. Constrained axial or radial swelling of pure CSA and EC/CSA tablets in 0.1 N HCl (stage I), Tris-HCl, pH 6.8 (stage II), and acetate buffer, pH 5.0 (stage III), was investigated. Factors affecting in vitro drug release, i.e., % weight ratios of coating polymers, dip speeds of dissolution apparatus or pH of medium or colonic enzyme (beta-glucosidase) in stage III, and use of a super disintegrant in core tablets, were evaluated. Swollen CSA gel dissolved at lower pH and became less soluble at higher pH. The mechanism of swelling was Fickian diffusion fitting well into both Higuchi's and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. EC:CSA, at 87.5:12.5% weight ratio, provided lag time rendering the tablets to reach stage III (simulated colonic fluid of patients), and the drug was released over 90% within 12 h. The system was a dual time- and pH-control due to the insolubility of EC suppressing water diffusion and the swelling of CSA in the stages I and II. The erosion of CSA gel in the stage III induced the disintegration of the coat resulting in rapid drug release. The lower dip speed and higher pH medium delayed the drug release, while a super disintegrant in the cores enhanced the drug release and no enzyme effect was observed.

Characterization of chitosan acetate as a binder for sustained release tablets.

A chitosan derivative as an acetate salt was successfully prepared by using a spray drying technique. Physicochemical characteristics and micromeritic properties of spray-dried chitosan acetate (SD-CSA) were studied as well as drug-polymer and excipient-polymer interaction. SD-CSA was spherical agglomerates with rough surface and less than 75 microm in diameter. The salt was an amorphous solid with slight to moderate hygroscopicity. The results of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and solid-state (13)C NMR spectroscopy demonstrated the functional groups of an acetate salt in its molecular structure. DSC and TGA thermograms of SD-CSA as well as FTIR and NMR spectrum of the salt, heated at 120 degrees C for 12 h, revealed the evidence of the conversion of chitosan acetate molecular structure to N-acetylglucosamine at higher temperature. No interaction of SD-CSA with either drugs (salicylic acid and theophylline) or selected pharmaceutical excipients were observed in the study using DSC method. As a wet granulation binder, SD-CSA gave theophylline granules with good flowability (according to the value of angle of repose, Carr's index, and Hausner ratio) and an excellent compressibility profile comparable to a pharmaceutical binder, PVP K30. In vitro release study of theophylline from the tablets containing 3% w/w SD-CSA as a binder demonstrated sustained drug release in all media. Cumulative drug released in 0.1 N HCl, pH 6.8 phosphate buffer and distilled water was nearly 100% within 6, 16 and 24 h, respectively. It was suggested that the simple incorporation of spray-dried chitosan acetate as a tablet binder could give rise to controlled drug delivery systems exhibiting sustained drug release.

Thermal behavior of ursodeoxycholic acid in urea: identification of anomalous peak in the thermal analysis.

The objective of this study was to clarify the thermal behavior of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in mixtures with urea. Physical mixtures of UDCA and urea in various ratios were prepared, and the thermal analysis of these sample mixtures was investigated using conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and variable-temperature powder X-ray diffractometry (VTXRD). The hot-stage microscopy (HSM) and powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) were used as complementary techniques. From the DSC results of all sample mixtures, it was found that there was no endothermic peak at the melting temperature of intact UDCA crystals. The DSC thermograms of each ratio showed only the endothermic peak at about 136 degrees C due to the melt of urea and the anomalous endothermic peak at about 155 degrees C 157 degrees C. The VTXRD study revealed that the crystals of urea completely disappeared at a temperature of 140 degrees C. At this temperature, it was identified that the VTXRD pattern obtained was of UDCA crystals. The crystalline peaks gradually decreased in intensity at a temperature of 150 degrees C When the temperature was up to 160 degrees C, the identical crystalline peaks of UDCA crystals completely disappeared. It was concluded that the anomalous endothermic peak at 155 degrees C-157 degrees C was the peak due to the dissolution of UDCA crystals in the surrounding melted urea.

Design and in vitro evaluation of a mucoadhesive oral delivery system for a model polypeptide antigen.

A novel mucoadhesive drug carrier system has been generated which protects a model polypeptide antigen from degradation by the most abundant intestinal proteases. The enzyme inhibitors antipain, chymostatin and elastatinal, respectively, were covalently attached to the mucoadhesive polymer sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) and the inhibitory efficacy of the resulting polymer-inhibitor conjugates was evaluated in vitro. When these inhibitor conjugates were combined with the thiolated polymer polycarbophil-cysteine (PCP-Cys), 95.8 +/- 3.8% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) of the incorporated model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was protected from enzymatic degradation within 90 min incubation in the presence of an artificial intestinal fluid containing the pancreatic serine proteases trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase. Replacing the CMC-inhibitor conjugates in the dosage form by unmodified CMC significantly reduced the protective effect to 78.8 +/- 4.7% (mean +/- SD, n = 3), whereas incorporation of the model antigen in a CMC dosage form omitting PCP-Cys protected 72.5 +/- 3.2% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) of OVA from degradation within a 90 min incubation period. Further, the incorporation of PCP-Cys resulted in higher cohesiveness within the dosage form and controlled drug release of the antigen for a time period of more than 9 h. Results suggest that a delivery system combining thiolated polymer and polymer-inhibitor conjugates improves the metabolic stability of the model polypeptide antigen and may therefore be a useful tool for oral protein vaccination.

Drug physical state and drug-polymer interaction on drug release from chitosan matrix films.

Four different grades of chitosan varying in molecular weight and degree of deacetylation were used to prepare chitosan films. Salicylic acid and theophylline were incorporated into cast chitosan films as model acidic and basic drugs, respectively. Crystalline characteristics, thermal behavior, drug-polymer interaction and drug release behaviors of the films were studied. The results of Fourier transform infrared and solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy demonstrated the drug-polymer interaction between salicylic acid and chitosan, resulting in salicylate formation, whereas no drug-polymer interaction was observed in theophylline-loaded chitosan films. Most chitosan films loaded with either salicylic acid or theophylline exhibited a fast release pattern, whereas the high viscosity chitosan films incorporated with salicylic acid showed sustained release patterns in distilled water. The sustained release action of salicylic acid from the high viscosity chitosan films was due to the drug-polymer interaction. The mechanism of release was Fickian diffusion control with subsequent zero order release. It was suggested that the swelling property, dissolution characteristics of the polymer films, pK(a) of drugs and especially drug-polymer interaction were important factors governing drug release patterns from chitosan films.

Physical properties and molecular behavior of chitosan films.

Chitosan films, varying in molecular weight and degree of deacetylation, were prepared by a casting technique using acetic acid as a dissolving vehicle. The physicochemical properties of the films were characterized. Both molecular weight and degree of deaceylation affected the film properties. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns and differential scanning calorimetry thermograms of all chitosan films indicated their amorphous state to partially crystalline state with thermal degradation temperature lower than 280-300 degrees C. The increase in molecular weight of chitosan would increase the tensile strength and elongation as well as moisture absorption of the films, whereas the increase in degree of deacetylation of chitosan would either increase or decrease the tensile strength of the films depending on its molecular weight. Moreover, the higher the degree of deacetylation of chitosan the more brittle and the less moisture absorption the films became. All chitosan films were soluble in HCl-KCl buffer (pH 1.2), normal saline, and distilled water. They swelled in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), and cross-linking between chitosan and phosphate anions might occur Finally, transmission infrared and 13C-NMR spectra supported that chitosan films prepared by using acetic acid as a dissolving were chitosonium acetate films.

Physico-chemical characterization of interactions between erythromycin and various film polymers.

In this study the interactions between erythromycin and various polymers (Eudragit L100, shellac, polyvinyl acetate phthalate (PVAP), cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate phthalate (HPMCP), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)) were investigated. The polymer films containing drugs were prepared and characterized by the use of infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal analysis, thin layer chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Preliminary studies of pure drug powders recrystallized in various organic solvent systems suggested a mixture of amorphous and crystalline forms whereas those recrystallized in water and organic solvent-water mixture led to the dihydrate form. Erythromycin in drug-polymer mixtures exhibited molecular dispersions in all six polymers studied. The amine salt interaction between the carboxyl group of the acid polymers and N-atom of erythromycin was indicated by the NMR technique. The solid solution of erythromycin in all polymer films studied was physically stable under stress conditions (8 degrees C/3 days and 40 degrees C/3 days for six cycles).

Physicochemical Properties of Ursodeoxycholic Acid Dispersed in Controlled Pore Glass.

The objective of this study was to reduce the crystallinity of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) by solid dispersion with controlled pore glass (CPG). To evaluate the effect of pore diameter and pore volume of CPG on the crystalline properties of UDCA, we used powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PXRD patterns and the DSC data indicated the presence of UDCA in a crystalline state in the physical mixtures. It was found that amorphous UDCA could be formed via solid dispersion with CPG obtained by a solvent method. The DSC thermograms of solid dispersions showed that there were two states of UDCA, amorphous and crystalline. The amount of crystalline fraction in the solid dispersions depended on the pore size, pore volume, and the specific surface area of CPG. When UDCA was mixed with different pore diameters of CPG, it was found that UDCA molecules preferentially interacted with pores of smaller size. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Effect of grinding on dehydration of crystal water of theophylline.

The effect of grinding on the dehydration of crystal water of theophylline has been studied. It was observed that the water content of theophylline hydrate decreased with increased grinding time. As the grinding time proceeded, the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated that crystal water of ground theophylline hydrate dehydrated in three steps at ca. 58, 44, and 17 degrees C, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction study revealed that the crystal lattice of theophylline monohydrate collapsed by grinding, and part of the theophylline molecules subsequently rearranged the collapsed lattice to form theophylline anhydrate. The result of Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the hydrogen bonds between crystal water molecules and theophylline molecules were weakened or destroyed to some extent by grinding. It was supposed that crystal water in the ground theophylline hydrate might exist at least in three molecular states of different hydrogen-bonding. From DSC study, it was suggested that the ruptured hydrogen bonds of water molecules in the ground theophylline hydrate were strengthened after storage under 96.5% relative humidity at 30 degrees C.