Dosage Forms

Charles A. Signorino, PhD, is president of CS Associates, Inc., 600 Markley Street, Norristown, PA 19401, tel. 610.279.7450, fax 610.292.9722.

Articles

Recent technology improvements have made acrylics the preferred system for the aqueous enteric coating of tablets.

The Use of Acrylic Resins for Improved Aqueous Enteric Coating

In this series of articles, bin blender performance is comprehensively reviewed using both free-flowing and cohesive mixtures. In part 1, an introduction to tools and techniques is presented, followed by an examination of parameter effects, mixing mechanisms, and the effects of cohesion on mixing.

Characterization of the Performance of Bin Blenders Part 1 of 3: Methodology

The author describes a separation method for two active ingredients in the contraceptive pill with liquid chromatography UV detection.

An LC Method for the Separation and Determination of Ethynodiol Diacetate and Ethinyl Estradiol in Tablets

R. Christian Moreton, PhD, is vice-president of pharmaceutical sciences at Finnbrit Consulting and a member of Pharmaceutical Technology’s editorial advisory board.

The author suggests that an excipient's functionality can only be determined in the context of a specific formulation and manufacturing process.

Excipient Functionality

Pharmaceutical science and technology innovations

In the Spotlight May 2004

Fernando J. Muzzio, PhD, is a professor and the director of the pharmaceutical engineering program at the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8058, tel. 732.445.3357.

Bin blender performance is comprehensively reviewed using both free-flowing and cohesive mixtures.

Dry powder inhalers are a well-accepted dosage form for pulmonary drug delivery and a wide variety are either currently available or in development. This article examines a premetered, capsule-based multidose inhaler for which different qualities of a-lactose monohydrate were screened.

Selecting Lactose for a Capsule-Based Dry Powder Inhaler

The bioavailability of some insoluble drugs is enhanced when they are dissolved in the solubilizing agent macrogol 400, although conventional hard capsules cannot tolerate the agent. This article investigates a PVA copolymer, which has been developed by the authors, examining its properties and its suitability as a material in capsule formulations.

Development of PVA Copolymer Capsules

This article describes the use of a one-pot processor for the cleaning and cleaning validation of two drug compounds - water-soluble theophylline and water-insoluble mebendazole. Both substances were produced using wet granulation and microwave drying, after which the processor was cleaned using its clean-in-place (CIP) system. Swab samples were taken from areas considered critical during processing and analysed for remains of active ingredient. It was concluded from the results that the processor's CIP system is capable of removing both moieties to a level well within accepted regulations.

Cleaning Validation Practices: Using a One-Pot Processor

Arvind K. Bansal is an associate professor at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Sector-67, Phase-X, S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab 160062, India, tel 191 0 172 2214682 87, fax 191 0 172 2214692.

The authors examine the development and performance of coprocessed excipients, including testing them for flowability, compressibility, amd dilution potential.

Solid/Semi-Solid Dosage