Spray drying Eudragit® E-PO with acetaminophen using 2- and 3-fluid nozzles for taste masking

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Conventional spray drying often results in poor taste masking for bitter drugs.
• Three-fluid nozzle spray drying offers potential for improved material encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate taste masking of acetaminophen (APAP) using Eudragit® E-PO (EE) via 2- and 3-fluid nozzle spray drying.
• To investigate the impact of different polymers and nozzle configurations on yield and drug release.

Main Methods:

• Spray drying of acetaminophen with Eudragit® E-PO, Eudragit® L 100-55, or Methocel® E6 using 2- and 3-fluid nozzles.
• Analysis of microparticle yield and in vitro drug release profiles.

Main Results:

• Low yields (≤13%) were observed when spray drying EE with APAP, regardless of nozzle type.
• Yields improved significantly with Eudragit® L 100-55 or Methocel® E6.
• Drug release was faster with the 2-fluid nozzle and slower, though incomplete, with EE in the outer stream of the 3-fluid nozzle.

Conclusions:

• The choice of polymer and nozzle configuration significantly impacts microparticle yield and drug release.
• Three-fluid nozzle spray drying with specific polymers shows potential for taste masking, but complete encapsulation requires further optimization.