The potential of macroporous silica—nanocrystalline cellulose combination for formulating dry emulsion systems with improved flow properties : a DoE study

Pohlen, Mitja (author), Pirker, Luka (author), Dreu, Rok (author)

The objective of this study was to explore the possible use of a new combination of two excipients, i.e., nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and macroporous silica (MS), as matrix materials for the compounding of dry emulsion systems and the effects these two excipients have on the characteristics of dry emulsion powders produced by the spray drying process. A previously developed liquid O/W nanoemulsion, comprised of simvastatin, 1-oleoyl-rac-glycerol, Miglyol 812 and Tween 20, was employed. In order to comprehend the effects that these two matrix formers have on the spray drying process and on dry emulsion powder characteristics, alone and in combination, a DoE (Design of Experiment) approach was used. The physicochemical properties of dry emulsion samples were characterised by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and laser diffraction analysis. Additionally, total release and dissolution experiments were performed to assess drug release from multiple formulations. It was found that the macroporous silica matrix drastically improved flow properties of dry emulsion powders; however, it partially trapped the oil—drug mixture inside the pores and hindered complete release. NCC showed its potential to reduce oil entrapment in MS, but because of its rod-shaped particles deposited on the MS surface, powder flowability was deteriorated.

• Language: English
• Keywords: simvastatin, dry emulsion, lipid-based drug delivery systems, nanocrystalline cellulose, macroporous silica, spray drying, flowability, DoE
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 24 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 13, iss. 8, art. 1177
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135951
• UDC: 615.015.14
• ISSN on article: 1999-4923
• DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081177
• COBISS.SI-ID: 72824835
• Publication date in RUL: 04.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Pharmaceutics
• Shortened title: Pharmaceutics
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1999-4923
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517949977

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: suhe emulzije, nanokristalinska celuloza, sušenje z razprševanjem, makroporozni kremen, pretočnost, dostavni sistem, emulzije