Granulation-driven modulation of improved advanced flow properties with immediate drug release using modified...

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Eudragit EPO, a common polymer, exhibits poor flowability and high cohesiveness, hindering its use in tablet formulations.
• Improving the manufacturability of cohesive polymers is crucial for efficient pharmaceutical production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the flowability and manufacturability of Eudragit EPO using wet granulation.
• To develop immediate-release tablet formulations with improved physical and release characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Powder flow properties were assessed using micromeritics and rheological analysis.
• Wet granulation was performed with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, with and without isoniazid as a model drug.
• Granules and tablets underwent characterization for particle properties, solid-state behavior, physicomechanical attributes, and drug release.

Main Results:

• Wet granulation successfully improved Eudragit EPO's flow properties, increased particle size, and reduced surface area.
• Tablets formulated from optimized granules demonstrated acceptable hardness, friability, disintegration, and content uniformity.
• Complete drug release within 2 hours in 0.1 N HCl was achieved, with solid-state analyses confirming compatibility and partial amorphization without degradation.

Conclusions:

• Wet granulation is an effective technique to transform cohesive Eudragit EPO into a free-flowing material.
• The optimized granulation process yields a material suitable for the manufacturing of immediate-release tablets.
• This study demonstrates a viable approach for improving the processability of challenging pharmaceutical polymers.