Related Experiment Videos
Preparation and characterisation of hydrocortisone particles using a supercritical fluids extraction process
Sitaram P Velaga1, Raouf Ghaderi, Johan Carlfors
1Department of Pharmacy, BMC, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 580, SE 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden. sitaram.velaga@galenik.uu.se
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|January 5, 2002
Summary
The Solution Enhanced Dispersion by Supercritical (SEDS) fluids method effectively controls hydrocortisone particle properties. This technique improves drug crystallinity, morphology, and aerodynamic performance for potential inhalation powders.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Traditional pharmaceutical powder processing methods like crystallization and milling can lead to inconsistent physicochemical properties, impacting drug bioavailability.
- Supercritical fluid (SF) crystallization offers superior control over particle characteristics compared to conventional techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of the Solution Enhanced Dispersion by Supercritical (SEDS) fluids method for preparing hydrocortisone (HC) particles.
- To evaluate the influence of SEDS processing parameters on the solid-state and aerodynamic properties of HC particles.
Main Methods:
- Hydrocortisone particles were prepared using the SEDS technique with supercritical CO2 as an anti-solvent, employing acetone and methanol solutions.
- Processing conditions, including temperature (40-90°C), pressure (90-180 bar), and flow rates, were systematically varied.
- Particle characterization involved differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), solubility studies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and aerodynamic assessment using a multistage liquid impinger (MLI).
Main Results:
- SEDS processing yielded crystalline needle-shaped hydrocortisone particles from acetone solutions, with a melting point of 221±2°C, irrespective of processing conditions.
- Particles prepared from methanol solutions exhibited varying morphologies (flakes or needles) and a different crystal structure (melting point 216±1°C), confirmed by XRPD.
- The aerodynamic properties, specifically simulated lung deposition, were significantly improved for SEDS-processed HC powders.
Conclusions:
- The SEDS technique provides effective control over the crystallinity, morphology, and aerodynamic properties of hydrocortisone particles.
- This method holds promise for the development of advanced inhalation powders with enhanced bioavailability and delivery characteristics.