Design and Development of Agglomerated Isomalt

The objective of this study was to prepare agglomerated isomalt by using the melt granulation process. This method involved the use of 99.5% of isomalt with the meltable binder glyceryl monostearate in a concentration of 0.5%. Glyceryl monostearate has a melting point of 50°C to 55°C, therefore, glyceryl monostearate was melted at its melting point and isomalt powder was blended with it to break the mass into agglomerates. The agglomerates were cooled to room temperature and were then screened to obtain granules of the desired size.

The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy studies confirmed that the chemical structure of isomalt was not changed before and after the melt granulation process. A differential scanning calorimetry study showed that there was no appearance of more new peaks or disappearance of  one or more peaks corresponding to those of the isomalt powder and agglomerated isomalt, which showed no changes in the structure of the isomalt powder before and after the agglomeration process. The agglomerated isomalt and galenIQ 721 showed almost identical solubility profiles for g of solute per 100 g of solution at different temperatures.

The scanning electron microscopy analysis of agglomerated isomalt showed promising results for the preparation of agglomerates of isomalt with glyceryl monostearate. The flow properties of the agglomerated isomalt compared with the galenIQ 721 and pure isomalt powder and melt granulation process showed promising results for agglomerated isomalt. The melt granulation process showed promising results to prepare agglomerates of the isomalt with the meltable binder glyceryl monostearate.

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Chauhan NN, Patel JK. Design and Development of Agglomerated Isomalt. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. 2023 ;27(1):78-87. PMID: 36720065.