Liquisolid systems with mesoporous silica based carriers: An investigation of flow and compaction properties

Abstract

Liquisolid technology has gained an increased attention as a promising approach for the improvement of bioavailability of poorly water soluble drugs. Suitable excipients with high surface area and porous structure are used to convert liquid lipophilic drugs or drug solutions/suspensions to powder suitable for filling into capsules or compression into tablets. Spireas (1) proposed this approach and pointed out the importance of selecting the appropriate excipients (carrier and coating material) in optimum amounts in order to achieve both good flowability and acceptable compaction properties, as prerequisites for industrial application. Compaction properties of liquisolid systems have been recognized as particularly challenging. However, the published results regarding compression behavior of liquisolid systems are still very limited (2, 3). In the present study mesoporous, amorphous silica excipients (Syloid® XDP 3050 and XDP 3150), optimized to be used as carriers in liquisolid systems, were used for preparation of liquisolid compacts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of carrier to coating ratio and liquid content on flowability and compaction behavior of liquisolid systems prepared with these novel excipients.