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Gastric emptying of multi-particulate dosage forms
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1 7JE, UK. m_newton@meng.ucl.ac.uk
Multi-particulate dosage forms show potential for controlled release oral drug delivery. However, their gastric emptying, especially for particles under 2.0mm, can be variable and influenced by factors like food intake.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Pharmacokinetics
Background:
- The concept of liquid-like gastric emptying for small multi-particulate dosage forms (<2.0mm) is explored for optimizing controlled-release oral formulations.
- Existing literature suggests particles <1.0mm may offer faster drug release, but this is not consistently observed, indicating variability in gastric emptying.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the scientific literature regarding the gastric emptying of multi-particulate dosage forms.
- To assess the suitability of these systems for controlled-release oral drug delivery, considering particle size and emptying dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and critical analysis of existing studies on multi-particulate system gastric emptying.
- Examination of factors influencing gastric emptying, including particle size and food effects.
- Assessment of study design limitations and data processing methods in relevant research.
Main Results:
- While some evidence supports faster gastric emptying for particles <1.0mm, reproducibility is not guaranteed.
- Food intake significantly delays gastric emptying of multi-particulate systems.
- Misconceptions regarding gastric emptying performance may stem from study design and data interpretation limitations.
Conclusions:
- Multi-particulate systems are confirmed as effective for oral controlled-release dosage forms.
- Variability in gastric emptying of small particles (<2.0mm) requires further investigation.
- Advancements in experimental techniques are needed to definitively understand and address gastric emptying variability.
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