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A comparison of two quality assessment methods for emulsions
S I Pather1, S H Neau, S Pather
1School of Pharmacy, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
|September 1, 1995
Summary
Volume distribution of internal phase globules is a superior indicator of emulsion quality and stability compared to globule number distribution. This method enhances the assessment of oral and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) emulsions.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Colloid and Surface Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Emulsion quality is commonly assessed by globule size distribution.
- Evaluating emulsion stability is crucial for pharmaceutical and nutritional applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the sensitivity of globule size distribution analysis with an alternative method for assessing emulsion quality.
- To determine the most effective method for predicting emulsion instability.
Main Methods:
- Light microscopy was used to determine globule sizes of oral and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) emulsions.
- A custom computer program analyzed globule diameters, categorized them into size groups, and calculated volumes.
- Volume distribution and globule number distribution were computed for each size group.
Main Results:
- Volume distribution of the internal phase globules was found to be a more sensitive predictor of emulsion instability.
- The volume distribution method demonstrated a better correlation with emulsion quality than globule number distribution.
Conclusions:
- Volume distribution analysis is a more effective determinant of emulsion quality than globule number distribution.
- This technique holds potential for evaluating TPN emulsions and other colloidal systems like liposomes.