Pavitra Solanki, Anoop Kumar, Abhinav Garg, Pankaj Sharma , Satyavir Singh
Blends of paracetamol and ibuprofen (5:2) incorporating sodium starch glycolate as disintegrants was spherically agglomerated (SAPI) in benzene-water system. SAPI were agglomerated using aqueous hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) solution as bridging liquid. Agglomeration process was optimized for several parameters like speed and duration of agitation, volume of bridging liquid added. The developed SAPI were evaluated for yield and micromeritics properties viz. bulk density, tapped density, compressibility index, angle of repose and mean agglomerate size measurement. The effect bridging liquid concentration on mean agglomerate size and other micromeritics properties were determined. SAPI was characterized for FTIR and differential scanning calorimetry analysis and its results revealed that there is no physical or chemical interaction existed in agglomerates. SAPIs were successfully compressed into directly compressible tablet. Results of in vitro drug release studies conducted on SAPI tablet showed that the dissolution rate is increased due to presence of HPMC as well as SSG in intra agglomerates. Results of this studies showed that HPMC bound SAPI produces improved micromeritics and excellent tabletting with higher dissolution rate and spherical agglomeration could be employed as an alternative method of tabletting.
Keywords: Spherical agglomeration, particle designing, paracetamol-ibuprofen blend, HPMC