Surface treatment of acetylsalicylic acid with lubricants by the Wurster method

Abstract

Surface treatment of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) crystals was examined in a Wurster fluid bed system with water-soluble and water-insoluble lubricants. The influence of the coating process on the flowability, the compressibility and the dissolution rate of the Crystals was studied, and the results were compared with the corresponding parameters of ASA crystals processed by a conventional (mixing) method. The coating materials were Carbowaxρ 6000 as water-soluble and stearin as water-insoluble lubricant. The control sample was unprocessed (commercial) ASA crystals. The Strea-1 fluid bed coater with the Wurster column could be used for the production of a lubricant coating on crystal surfaces. The coated crystals, in comparison with mixed samples, had very good compactibility, cohesivity and compressibility values. Their lubrication coefficient was higher and the friction work was less than those of mixed crystals. The dissolution of the active agent could be regulated by the lubricant coat. The rate of dissolution of ASA was primarily promoted by a film coat of Carbowaxρ 6000 from a capsule.