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Starch-dextrin mixtures as base excipients for extrusion-spheronization pellets
S Almeida Prieto1, J Blanco Méndez, F J Otero Espinar
1Departamento de Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, Spain.
Summary
Starch and dextrin mixtures can create high-quality extrusion-spheronization pellets, offering an alternative to microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). These novel excipients yield pellets with desirable size and shape for controlled release applications.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is the standard excipient for extrusion-spheronization pellets.
- Alternative excipients are sought for tailored pellet properties, particularly for specific drug release profiles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate starch+agglutinant mixtures as principal excipients for extrusion-spheronization.
- To produce pellets with properties suitable for specific release characteristics.
- To characterize the physical and rheological properties of starch-based excipients.
Main Methods:
- Characterization of excipient morphometry and physical properties.
- Torque-rheometry to assess wetted mass rheology and determine optimal water content.
- Evaluation of water absorption and retention capacities.
- Pellet production using starch+agglutinant mixtures and subsequent morphological analysis via image analysis.
Main Results:
- Some starch+agglutinant mixtures, specifically corn or wheat starch with 20% white dextrin, produced high-quality pellets.
- These pellets exhibited favorable size and shape distributions.
- The study demonstrated the potential for diverse pellet properties using these novel excipient systems.
Conclusions:
- Starch+agglutinant mixtures are viable alternatives to MCC for extrusion-spheronization.
- These mixtures can yield high-quality pellets with tunable properties for controlled release.
- Further research can explore the full potential of these excipients in pharmaceutical formulations.