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Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman Scattering CARS Microscopy Visualizes Pharmaceutical Tablets During Dissolution
Published on: July 4, 2014
Development of piroxicam mini-tablets enabled by spherical cocrystallization.
Hongbo Chen1, Chenguang Wang1, Sibo Liu1
1Pharmaceutical Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Spherical cocrystallization (SCC) technology improved the manufacturability and dissolution of poorly soluble piroxicam. This process enabled direct compression mini-tablets with enhanced drug properties.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Materials Science
Background:
- Poorly soluble drugs present formulation challenges, particularly for direct compression (DC) mini-tablets.
- Spherical cocrystallization (SCC) is explored as a method to enhance drug properties and manufacturability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate SCC for improving piroxicam manufacturability and dissolution.
- To develop a direct compression mini-tablet formulation of piroxicam using SCC.
Main Methods:
- Prepared a piroxicam-ferulic acid (PRX-FA) cocrystal.
- Formed spherical agglomerates using a bridging liquid (chloroform/ethyl acetate mixture).
- Evaluated cocrystal solubility, plasticity, and agglomerate flowability, tabletability, and dissolution.
Main Results:
- The PRX-FA cocrystal showed enhanced solubility and plasticity.
- SCC resulted in spherical agglomerates with improved flowability and tabletability.
- A DC mini-tablet formulation with 41 wt% piroxicam loading was successfully developed.
Conclusions:
- Spherical cocrystallization is an effective technology for enhancing the properties of poorly soluble drugs.
- SCC facilitates the development of direct compression mini-tablet formulations for challenging compounds like piroxicam.
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