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Updated: Apr 20, 2026

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering CARS Microscopy Visualizes Pharmaceutical Tablets During Dissolution
Published on: July 4, 2014
Exploring the possible relationship between the drug release of Compritol®-containing tablets and its polymorph forms
Vincent Jannin1, Yvonne Rosiaux1, Jean Doucet2
1Gattefossé SAS, 36 chemin de Genas 69804 Saint-Priest cedex, France.
Lipid polymorphism does not affect drug release from Compritol® 888 ATO tablets. Changes in drug release during storage are likely due to alterations in the lipid matrix structure, not changes in lipid crystal forms.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Materials Science
Background:
- Lipid excipients are increasingly utilized for sustained drug delivery.
- Lipid polymorphism is a known challenge, potentially impacting drug release over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between lipid polymorphism and drug release modification in pharmaceutical formulations.
- To determine if changes in lipid crystalline structure influence drug release profiles of Compritol® 888 ATO tablets during storage.
Main Methods:
- Utilized synchrotron radiation-based micro X-ray diffraction to analyze lipid crystalline structures at a local scale within tablets.
- Examined tablets manufactured under varying compression forces and stored under accelerated conditions (40°C for 45 days).
- Assessed drug release profiles and correlated them with identified lipid polymorphs.
Main Results:
- Only one polymorph of Compritol® 888 ATO was consistently found in tablets, irrespective of compression force or storage conditions.
- Post-compression thermal treatment induced a different polymorph, yet drug release remained unaffected.
- Drug release profiles varied despite the absence of polymorphism changes, suggesting other factors are at play.
Conclusions:
- Lipid polymorphism of Compritol® 888 ATO is not the cause of modified drug release observed during storage.
- Altered distribution and potential flow of the lipid matrix component within the tablet structure may influence drug release and tablet hydrophobicity.
- Further research into matrix structural changes is warranted to understand drug release variability.
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