The Effect of PVP Viscosity on the Binding Performance in Naproxen Tablets
Certain active ingredients can present flow and compactability challenges, requiring wet granulation to enable high-speed tableting. This study aimed to compare the performance of VIVAPHARM® PVP K25, VIVAPHARM® PVP K30, and VIVAPHARM® PVP K90 respectively as wet-granulation binders in a naproxen immediate release formulation. The correlation between viscosity and binding power as well as the effect of the K-value on dissolution rates were analysed.
Naproxen is a poorly compactable drug and is therefore typically wet granulated. In this case study, wet granulation of naproxen was performed with solutions of VIVAPHARM® PVP K25, VIVAPHARM® PVP K30 or VIVAPHARM® PVP K90, respectively, as a binder. The percentage of each wet binder was adjusted to achieve binder solutions with comparable viscosity, so that the adhesive performance remained constant between the three formulations. VIVAPHARM® PVPP XL was added as an extragranular superdisintegrant and magnesium stearate as a lubricant.
The goal of each formulation was to achieve sufficient tablet hardness with low friability and fast dissolution of the API. The performance of VIVAPHARM® PVP K25, VIVAPHARM® PVP K30 and VIVAPHARM® PVP K90 was compared to demonstrate the difference between the three grades. For each formulation listed above, the tablet hardness, friability, and dissolution profile were measured, to assess the effect of the binders’ concentration and K-value on these parameters.
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Article information: JRS Pharma