Amorphization within the tablet: Using microwave irradiation to form a glass solution in situ

Maria Doreth, Murtadha Abdul Hussein, Petra A. Priemel, Holger Grohganz, René Holm, Heidi Lopez de Diego, Thomas Rades, Korbinian Löbmann*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

41 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In situ amorphization is a concept that allows to amorphize a given drug in its final dosage form right before administration. Hence, this approach can potentially be used to circumvent recrystallization issues that other amorphous formulation approaches are facing during storage. In this study, the feasibility of microwave irradiation to prepare amorphous solid dispersions (glass solutions) in situ was investigated. Indomethacin (IND) and polyvinylpyrrolidone K12 (PVP) were tableted at a 1:2 (w/w) ratio. In order to study the influence of moisture content and energy input on the degree of amorphization, tablet formulations were stored at different relative humidity (32, 43 and 54% RH) and subsequently microwaved using nine different power-time combinations up to a maximum energy input of 90 kJ. XRPD results showed that up to 80% (w/w) of IND could be amorphized within the tablet. mDSC measurements revealed that with increasing microwaving power and time, the fractions of crystalline IND and amorphous PVP reduced, whereas the amount of in situ formed IND-PVP glass solution increased. Intrinsic dissolution showed that the dissolution rate of the microwaved solid dispersion was similar to that of a quench cooled, fully amorphous glass solution even though the microwaved samples contained residual crystalline IND.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Pharmaceutics
Volume519
Issue number1-2
Pages (from-to)343-351
Number of pages9
ISSN0378-5173
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Mar 2017

Keywords

  • Amorphization
  • Glass solution
  • In situ
  • Microwave radiation
  • Recrystallization
  • Tablet

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