NMR imaging for the study of drug tablets for controlled release

Abstract

Due to its nondestructive and noninvasive nature, its versatility, and its ease of implementation, NMR imaging has imposed itself as a technique well suited to study pharmaceutical tablets for controlled release of active ingredients. NMR imaging has been used for over two decades to study the pharmaceutical formulation. It is possible to obtain cross-sectional images from the interior of the material and follow the kinetics of water absorption, tablet dissolution and erosion, tablet swelling, or drug distribution, all important factors affecting the pharmacokinetics of the drug after the administration of a pharmaceutical tablet. NMR imaging was used to elucidate the effects of temperature, tablet size, and drug loading on the properties and drug release process of the tablets. This paves the way to the rational design of new pharmaceutical tablets for controlled drug delivery.