Dissolution Characteristics of Interactive Powder Mixtures. Part One: Effect of Solubility and Particle Size of Excipients

Abstract

Interactive mixtures of fine cohesive drug powders and coarse free flowing excipients are reported to increase dissolution rates of poorly soluble drugs. However, dissolution rates are known to be affected by the solubility characteristics of the excipients as well as excipients surface characteristics after mixing with lubricant.

In this study the effects of solubility and particle size of excipients on dissolution of micronized griseofulvin from interactive powder mixtures were investigated. Quantitative assessment of dissolution from such mixtures showed that systems containing soluble excipients increased dissolution of the drug more efficiently than mixtures prepared using insoluble excipients. The role of the soluble excipient was more significant after mixing with magnesium stearate. Excipients of smaller particle sizes increased dissolution more efficiently than their large size counterparts. Effects of particle size were particularly significant in case of water insoluble excipients.