Abstract

APPLICABILITY OF A NOVEL CARRIER, NEUSILIN UFL2, FOR THE PREPARATION OF DOMPERIDONE LIQUISOLID TABLETS

Sravya Kudamala* and Kolapalli Venkata Ramana Murthy

ABSTRACT

Through the liquisolid technique, drugs with dissolution as the rate limiting step may be solubilised in non-volatile liquid vehicle and transformed into acceptably flowing compressible powders. As fast-release liquisolid compacts require very high amount of liquid vehicle, there is a dire need for more effective carriers for liquid adsorption to reduce tablet weight. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of Neusilin UFL2 (magnesium aluminometasilicate) as a carrier for liquisolid compacts. Comparative studies with the commonly used grades of microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH-101, Avicel PH-102 and Avicel PH-112) were performed. Domperidone being the selected model drug is practically insoluble in water (~ 0.986 mg/L). It is an antiemetic drug with very low oral bioavailability (~15%) which can be traced to its poor solubility. After initial studies to determine the loading factor, the liquisolid compacts containing the drug in liquid vehicle (PEG 600) and various excipients were prepared. The effect of the carrier selection on the flowability and tablettability of the liquisolid powder blends as well as the dissolution of the liquisolid compacts was studied along with other pharmacopeial tests. It was observed that the loading factors depended on the specific surface area of the investigated excipients. While the FTIR studies eliminated any drug-interactions, the DSC, XRD and SEM data accounted for the conversion of insoluble crystalline drug particles to solubilised amorphous form. It was inferred from the studies that Neusilin UFL2 is more effective carrier material for liquid adsorption than the commonly used grades of Avicel.

Keywords: Carrier, Neusilin UFL2, Liquisolid tablets, domperidone.