Griseofulvin micronization and dissolution rate improvement by supercritical assisted atomization

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Micronization of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is crucial for enhancing bioavailability and dissolution rates.
• Conventional methods like jet milling can lead to particle aggregation and thermal degradation.
• Supercritical assisted atomization (SAA) presents an innovative approach for particle engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of supercritical assisted atomization (SAA) for micronizing griseofulvin (GF) as a model compound.
• To investigate the influence of precipitation temperature and drug concentration on particle characteristics.
• To compare the dissolution profiles of SAA-processed GF with conventionally processed GF.

Main Methods:

• Supercritical assisted atomization (SAA) utilizing supercritical carbon dioxide.
• Characterization of micronized griseofulvin using HPLC-UV/vis, GC-FID, DSC, BET, and X-ray diffraction.
• Formulation of griseofulvin capsules and dissolution rate testing.

Main Results:

• SAA produced spherical griseofulvin microparticles (0.5–2.5 µm) with narrow particle size distribution.
• No drug degradation was observed, with acetone residues below 800 ppm.
• Micronized griseofulvin exhibited good stability, surface areas of 4–6 m²/g, and retained crystalline structure.
• SAA-processed griseofulvin showed faster and more reproducible dissolution rates compared to jet-milled griseofulvin.

Conclusions:

• Supercritical assisted atomization is a viable and effective method for griseofulvin micronization.
• SAA offers superior control over particle size, morphology, and dissolution properties.
• The enhanced dissolution profile of SAA-processed griseofulvin suggests improved therapeutic efficacy.