A swellable polymer as carbamazepine dissolution rate enhancer

A superdisintegrant (cross-linked sodium carboxymethylcellulose, Ac-Di-Sol was used for the enhancement of the dissolution rate of carbamazepine, an anti-epileptic drug characterized by very low water solubility. Three different drug/polymer systems were prepared: a physical mixture and two loaded systems obtained using a solvent evaporation method and a spraying method. In vitro dissolution tests showed that the dissolution rate in water of carbamazepine from all the systems prepared (compared with that of the pure drug) always increases, particularly in the case of the physical mixture and of the loaded system obtained with the spraying method, while DSC analysis shows that no drug amorphisation has occurred.