Naproxen particle design using porous starch.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Porous starch (PS) is a promising excipient for drug formulation.
• Efficiently embedding active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) like naproxen into porous starch is crucial for improved drug delivery.
• Understanding the physicochemical properties and drug-API interactions is key to optimizing formulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physicochemical properties of naproxen-loaded porous starch particles prepared by preferential grinding.
• To evaluate the impact of different grinding methods (Mechanofusion vs. Mechanomill) on naproxen content and drug-excipient interactions.
• To assess the effect of preferential grinding on the dissolution rate of naproxen from porous starch particles.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of porous starch (PS) particles loaded with naproxen using preferential grinding (Mechanofusion and Mechanomill).
• Characterization of particle properties including pore diameter and pore volume using mercury porosimetry.
• Analysis of naproxen crystallization state and drug-excipient interactions using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
• Evaluation of naproxen dissolution rates from prepared particles and physical mixtures.

Main Results:

• Porous starch particles prepared by preferential grinding with Mechanofusion exhibited higher naproxen content compared to those prepared with Mechanomill.
• No significant changes in the crystallization state of naproxen or interactions between naproxen and porous starch were observed.
• The dissolution rate of naproxen from particles prepared by preferential grinding was significantly faster than from physical mixtures.

Conclusions:

• Preferential grinding is an effective method for loading naproxen into porous starch, enhancing drug content and dissolution.
• The Mechanofusion system offers superior performance for naproxen embedding in porous starch compared to the Mechanomill.
• The developed naproxen-porous starch formulations show potential for improved oral drug delivery due to enhanced dissolution characteristics.