Optimum spray congealing conditions for masking the bitter taste of clarithromycin in wax matrix

The effects of operating conditions in the spray-congealing process on the release and the micromeritic properties of clarithromycin (CAM) wax matrix were evaluated. CAM wax matrix with 30% CAM, 60% glyceryl monostearate (GM) and 10% aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer E (AMCE) was manufactured at various atomizer wheel speeds and liquid feed rates with a spray dryer. Release of CAM from the matrix exhibited a two-phase pattern, probably due to the dissolution of the fine portions broken on the surface of the matrix. The slope and the extrapolated y-intercept of the subsequent release pattern were defined as the release rate and the initial amount of release of CAM from the matrix, respectively. These release parameters, as well as the volume median diameter and the specific surface area of matrix, were selected as response variables, and multiple regression analysis was performed. For specific surface area and initial amount of release, a minimum point was observed on the contour curve when the atomizer wheel speed was constant and the liquid feed rate was varied. For the release rate, a maximum point was observed on the contour curve under the same conditions. These points were considered preferable for masking the bitter taste of CAM preparation. Microscopic observation revealed that a small spherical matrix with a smooth surface could be obtained with a high atomizer wheel speed and optimum liquid feed rate. This matrix also possessed excellent properties for taste masking, with small initial amount of release and subsequent high rate of release. In conclusion, the congealing speed of melt droplets was the dominant factor in masking the bitter taste of CAM.     

Optimum conditions of masking

The maximum of the function Ψ_MN = α_M(Y)^-mq α_N(Y)^np[H]iq—jn corresponds to the optimum acidity for masking of the metal ion N with a ligand Y in the presence of metal ion M; M_mH_iL_n and N_pH_jL_a are the complexes of M and N with the reagent ligand L, and α_M(Y) and α_N(Y) are the respective side-reaction coefficients of M and N with Y. The theoretical conditions were compared with practice for precipitation of uranyl oxinate, barium sulfate and calcium oxalate; complexation of iron(II) with 1,10-phenanthroline and aluminium with tiron; and uranyl thenoyltrifluoracetone and silver dithizone extraction. EDTA is used as masking reagent throughout. An extension of the theory to systems with several interfering cations and ligands is shown.     

Method of evaluation of the bitterness of clarithromycin dry syrup

The degree of bitterness of clarithromycin (CAM) dry syrup was evaluated using several methods. Using the inversion method, shaking method, and paddle method, a reasonable correlation between the bitter taste and the amount dissolved was not observed. A mini-column with inner diameter of 0.76 cm and height of 5 cm packed with CAM dry syrup was used for the release test. The release rate of CAM in test solution, which passed through the mini-column, was then measured to evaluate bitterness. The release rate of CAM in the release test using the mini-column correlated well with the results of a sensory test for the bitterness of CAM dry syrup. The dissolution rate constant, defined as the percentage of CAM dissolved from the unit void surface multiplied by the void volume, was inversely proportional to the linear velocity of the test solution. The critical factors affecting evaluation of bitterness were the void volume of the column and linear velocity of the test solution. The optimum linear velocity and void volume were 0.048-0.021 cm/min and 0.27-0.12 cm3, respectively. In addition, the threshold of bitterness of CAM dry syrup was defined as the concentration at which half of the volunteers recognized bitterness in the sensory test. This threshold was found to be 135 microg/ml using the mini-column.     

The bitterness intensity of clarithromycin evaluated by a taste sensor

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a quantitative prediction method using a taste sensor to determine the bitterness of clarithromycin powder suspensions of various concentrations and of a commercial clarithromycin dry syrup product (Clarith dry syrup, Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo) containing aminoalkyl methacrylate polymer as a taste-masker. The bitterness of the clarithromycin dry syrup product dissolved in various beverages was also evaluated in gustatory sensation tests and using the taste sensor. In the sensor measurements, three variables were used to predict bitterness in single and multiple regression analysis: relative sensor output (R), the change of membrane potential caused by adsorption (CPA), and CPA/R ratio. The CPA values for channel 3 of the sensor predicted well the bitterness of clarithromycin powder suspensions and their filtered solutions. For Clarith dry syrup, the sensor output was small, suggesting that aminoalkyl methacrylate polymer was successful in almost complete masking of the bitter taste of the dry syrup product. When the bitterness intensities of mixtures of 1 g of Clarith dry syrup with 25 ml of water, coffee, tea, green tea, cocoa, milk, and a sports drink were examined, a good correlation was obtained between the results from human taste tests and the predicted values calculated on the basis of multiple regression analysis using CPA data from channel 4, and the CPA/R ratio from channel 3 of the taste sensor (r(2)=0.963, p<0.005). Co-administration of 1 g of Clarith dry syrup with an acidic sports drink was found to be the most bitter using either method.     

Optimum acidity and masking of redox reactions

Theoretical relationships for the estimation of optimum acidity and masking of redox reactions are developed on the basis of the coefficients of side reactions. The concentrations of reacting components are calculated from optimum conditions and the values of standard redox potentials. A good agreement of the theory and experiment is shown on several illustrative examples.     

Optimum conditions for adsorptive storage

The storage of gases in porous adsorbents, such as activated carbon and carbon nanotubes, is examined here thermodynamically from a systems viewpoint, considering the entire adsorption-desorption cycle. The results provide concrete objective criteria to guide the search for the "Holy Grail" adsorbent, for which the adsorptive delivery is maximized. It is shown that, for ambient temperature storage of hydrogen and delivery between 30 and 1.5 bar pressure, for the optimum adsorbent the adsorption enthalpy change is 15.1 kJ/mol. For carbons, for which the average enthalpy change is typically 5.8 kJ/mol, an optimum operating temperature of about 115 K is predicted. For methane, an optimum enthalpy change of 18.8 kJ/mol is found, with the optimum temperature for carbons being 254 K. It is also demonstrated that for maximum delivery of the gas the optimum adsorbent must be homogeneous, and that introduction of heterogeneity, such as by ball milling, irradiation, and other means, can only provide small increases in physisorption-related delivery for hydrogen. For methane, heterogeneity is always detrimental, at any value of average adsorption enthalpy change. These results are confirmed with the help of experimental data from the literature, as well as extensive Monte Carlo simulations conducted here using slit pore models of activated carbons as well as atomistic models of carbon nanotubes. The simulations also demonstrate that carbon nanotubes offer little or no advantage over activated carbons in terms of enhanced delivery, when used as storage media for either hydrogen or methane.     

Release from or through a wax matrix system. III. Basic properties of release through the wax matrix layer

Release property of reservoir device matrix tablet was examined. Wax matrix layer was prepared from physical mixture of lactose and hydrogenated castor oil to obtain basic release properties. Release process showed zero order kinetics in a steady state after a given lag times, and could be divided into two stages. The first stage was the formation process of water channel by dissolving the soluble component in the wax matrix layer. The lag time was considered to be the time required forming water channel and the time begun to release drug through the wax matrix layer at the same time. The lag time obtained by applying the square root law equation was well connected with the amount of matrix layer and mixed weight fraction of component in matrix layer. The second stage was the zero order release process of drug in the reservoir through the wax matrix layer. The release rate constants were calculated by taking into accounts of the thickness of matrix layer and permeability coefficient, and were well connected with the amount of matrix layer and mixed weight fraction of component. Also it was suggested that the tortuosity of matrix layer could be expressed by a function of the porosity defined by the mixed weight fraction.     

Release from or through a wax matrix system. I. Basic release properties of the wax matrix system.

Release properties from a wax matrix tablet was examined. To obtain basic release properties, the wax matrix tablet was prepared from a physical mixture of drug and wax powder (hydrogenated caster oil) at a fixed mixing ratio. Properties of release from the single flat-faced surface or curved side surface of the wax matrix tablet were examined. The applicability of the square-root time law and of Higuchi equations was confirmed. The release rate constant obtained as g/min(1/2) changed with the release direction. However, the release rate constant obtained as g/cm2 x min(1/2) was almost the same. Hence it was suggested that the release property was almost the same and the wax matrix structure was uniform independent of release surface or direction at a fixed mixing ratio. However, these equations could not explain the entire release process. The applicability of a semilogarithmic equation was not as good compared with the square-root time law or Higuchi equation. However, it was revealed that the semilogarithmic equation was available to simulate the entire release process, even though the fit was somewhat poor. Hence it was suggested that the semilogarithmic equation was sufficient to describe the release process. The release rate constant was varied with release direction. However, these release rate constants were expressed by a function of the effective surface area and initial amount, independent of the release direction.     

Release from or through a wax matrix system. V. Applicability of the square-root time law equation for release from a wax matrix tablet

To obtain basic and clear release properties, wax matrix tablets were prepared from a physical mixture of drug and wax powder at a fixed mixing ratio. Properties of release from the single flat-faced surface, curved side surface, and/or whole surface of the wax matrix tablet were examined. Then tortuosity and the applicability of Higuchi's square-root time law equation were examined. The Higuchi equation well analyzed the release processes of different release manners. However, the region fitted to the Higuchi equation differed with the release manner. Tortuosity obtained with release from the single flat-faced surface and curved side surface was comparable with that obtained with the release from a reservoir device tablet, whereas tortuosity obtained with release from the whole surface was larger. As the wax matrix tablets were prepared at a fixed mixing ratio, their internal structures should be similar. Therefore changes in the matrix volume or volume fraction with release were examined, and an extra volume where dissolved drug stray becomes large with release time in the case of release from the whole surface. These factors should be taken into account for evaluation of applicability and release properties. Furthermore, the entire release process should be analyzed using a combination of the square-root time law and other suitable equations in accordance with release manner or condition.     

Release from or through a wax matrix system. II. Basic properties of release from or through the wax matrix layer

In order to examine basic properties of release from and through wax matrix layer, reservoir device matrix tablet was prepared from a physical mixture of hydrogenated caster oil and drug that was the same one in the reservoir. Release process could be divided into two stages. The first stage was the formation process of water channel by dissolving the drug in the wax matrix layer, and dissolved drug was released from the matrix layer following the square-root-of-time law equation. Hence, the drug penetration coefficient and tortuosity in the matrix layer were estimated. The second stage was the zero order release process of drug in the reservoir through the wax matrix layer. The release rate constant was calculated from the slope of line. Hence, the drug permeability coefficient and tortuosity were estimated. Fundamentally, tortuosity can not be expressed by some meaningful factors, and is obtained as an experimental result. By preparing wax matrix system from a physical mixture other than melted granule method, it was suggested that the matrix structure was uniform three-dimensionally. As a result, tortuosity could be expressed by a function of porosity, because unrecognized factors such as the surface coverage and thickness of melted wax on the soluble component should not be involved.     

Release from or through a wax matrix system. VI. Analysis and prediction of the entire release process of the wax matrix tablet

Analysis of the entire release process of the wax matrix tablet was examined. Wax matrix tablet was prepared from a physical mixture of drug and wax powder to obtain basic or clear release properties. The release process began to deviate from Higuchi equation when the released amount reached at around the half of the initial drug amount. Simulated release amount increase infinitely when the Higuchi equation was applied. Then, the Higuchi equation was modified to estimate the release process of the wax matrix tablet. The modified Higuchi equation was named as the H-my equation. Release process was well treated by the H-my equation. Release process simulated by the H-my equation fitted well with the measured entire release process. Also, release properties from and through wax matrix well coincident each other. Furthermore, it is possible to predict an optional release process when the amount of matrix and composition of matrix system were defined.     

Electrochemical masking for removal of the titanium matrix effect in DPASV determination of thallium

The possibilities for eliminating the matrix effect caused by large concentrations of titanium in an EDTA-based electrolyte have been examined. In these solutions titanium gives a DPASV peak, the height of which decreases with increase in preconcentration time. This effect depends on the pH and is probably caused by impurities in the EDTA. Complete damping of the titanium peak by means of this effect is not possible. The influence of the following surfactants on the DPASV peak for titanium in 0.2M EDTA at pH 4.5 was investigated: polyoxyethylated alkylphenols having an average of 3 and 9.5 ethylene oxide sub-units; polyoxyethylene alcohols having an average of 5 and 20 ethylene oxide sub-units; polyoxyethylene (glycerol mono-oleate) ether having an average of 20 ethylene oxide sub-units; polyoxyethylene (sorbitol mono-oleate) ether having an average of 20 ethylene oxide sub-units; poly(ethylene oxide) having M.W. 5.0 x 10(6); poly(ethylene oxide)poly(propylene oxide) block copolymer having M.W. 1.625 x 10(4); N,N,N,N',N',N'-hexamethylhexamethylenediammonium bromide (HMB); benzyl(diisobutylphenoxyethoxy) dimethylammonium chloride; hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide; tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC); hexadecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, hexadecyltributylphosphonium bromide; tetraphenylphosphonium bromide; sodium dodecylsulphate; sodium stearate; sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate; sodium octadecyloxyethylene ether sulphate; sodium octadecyloxyethylene ether malonate (Malester). Except for TBAC and HMB all the surfactants investigated decreased the titanium peak, although to different degrees. Generally the effect increased in the sequence cationic surfactants < non-ionic surfactants < anionic surfactants. The more hydrophobic non-ionic surfactants decreased the titanium peak more strongly than did the less hydrophobic ones. Malester was found the best of the investigated surfactants for this purpose. Sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate also gave good results, although in this case an additional peak appeared. In the presence of these last two surfactants iron(III) does not substantially disturb the base-line current.     

Stabilization mechanism of clarithromycin tablets under gastric pH conditions

It has been reported that tablets of clarithromycin (CAM), a 14-membered macrolide antibiotic, are especially stable under low pH conditions such as in gastric fluid, and showed excellent antibacterial efficiency even though CAM molecules themselves are rapidly decomposed. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the stabilization mechanism of CAM tablets under low pH conditions. From the results of stability and dissolution tests, the optimal decomposition rate constant (K(dec)) and dissolution rate constant (K(dis)) at various pH values were calculated by curve-fitting to consecutive reactions. Consequently, log(K(dec)) increased as pH decreased. On the other hand, log(K(dis)) increased as pH decreased from 3.0 to 1.5, but decreased as pH decreased from 1.5 to 1.0. In addition, the disintegration time of commercially available tablets at pH 1.0 and 1.2 was found to be delayed, resulting in a decrease of K(dis). Furthermore, from powder X-ray diffraction, HPLC and elemental analysis, the delay in disintegration time might be attributable to the formation of a transparent gel, formed by the reaction between CAM molecule and hydrochloric acid under low pH conditions, on the surface of CAM tablet. On the basis of these results, this report can be considered the first case where a transparent gel prevents gastric fluid from penetrating the tablet, resulting in reduced decomposition of CAM following oral administrating.     

Optimum conditions for the water extraction of L-theanine from green tea

Theanine is a unique non-protein amino acid found in tea (Camellia sinensis). It contributes to the favourable umami taste of tea and is linked to various beneficial effects in humans. There is an increasing interest in theanine as an important component of tea, as an ingredient for novel functional foods and as a dietary supplement. Therefore, optimal conditions for extracting theanine from tea are required for the accurate quantification of theanine in tea and as an efficient first step for its purification. This study examined the effects of four different extraction conditions on the yield of theanine from green tea using water and applied response surface methodology to further optimise the extraction conditions. The results showed that temperature, extraction time, ratio of water-to-tea and tea particle sizes had significant impacts on the extraction yield of theanine. The optimal conditions for extracting theanine from green tea using water were found to be extraction at 80 °C for 30 min with a water-to-tea ratio of 20:1 mL/g and a tea particle size of 0.5-1 mm.     

Rheological analysis and quantitative evaluation of wet kneaded wax matrix

The properties of the wet kneaded wax matrix were evaluated using a compression tester, whereby a newly proposed sigma index for the plastic deformation was assessed in the pressure transmission diagram. The sigma index was indicative of a characteristic of the plastic yield point in the rheological behavior, and presented an initial and abrupt deformation of wet kneaded mass when the wet kneaded mass was subjected to the pressure. The value of sigma index was confirmed to decrease along with an increase in the plasticity of wet kneaded mass. The wet mass of wax matrix was prepared under various kneading time, and then extruded. The properties of the extruded granules such as pore volume, strength and dissolution were investigated. As a result, it was found that the sigma index decreased with an increase in kneading time. The granules with small value of sigma index showed few porosities, large strength and slow dissolution. It was demonstrated that the sigma index linked the characteristics of wet kneaded mass to the dissolution and the other granule properties. Existence of this link was revealed by sigma index evaluation relevant to the plasticity. The sigma index could be a decisive criterion to permit an in-process evaluation of the kneading progress quantitatively, and also useful for anticipating the dissolution of the final granules roughly.     

Optimum experimental conditions of the brittle fracture technique for homogenisation of biological materials

Optimum experimental conditions for the brittle fracture technique applied in trace metal analysis of biological material are described. The efficiency of the technique was tested by sieve and radio-tracer experiments. Numerical results are presented for human placenta submitted to eight different grinding procedures.     

Optimum conditions for the synthesis of linear polylactic acid‐based urethanes

The reactions of polylactic acid (PLA) oligomers and isocyanates (4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate and toluene diisocyanate) are reported. The effects of the reaction conditions, that is, the reaction time, reaction temperature, molar ratios, isocyanates, and catalyst, on the number‐average molecular weight (M_n ) are demonstrated. The optimum reaction conditions are determined by the synthesis of relatively high M_n PLA‐based linear polyurethanes. The structure of the polymer samples was investigated with dynamic light scattering, ¹H NMR, IR, and matrix‐assisted laser‐desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI‐TOF MS). © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2925–2933, 2000     

Optimum conditions for pulse generation in diaphragm-free Karl Fischer coulometry

A flexible instrument was designed in order to investigate the influence of current magnitude, current duration and the frequency of the pulse generation on the error obtained in coulometric Karl Fischer titrations carried out in diaphragm-free cells. For a given current magnitude the lowest errors were obtained for current durations more than 60% of the total time for the pulse cycle. No significant influence of the pulse frequency (5–1000 Hz) was found independently of the pulse current duration for three different types of reagents intended for diaphragm-free coulometry. For all reagents, the errors obtained with the home-built instrument were significantly smaller than those obtained with an optimized commercial titrator based on pulsed current generation. Using optimum conditions for the former instrument, in combination with an imidazole-buffered reagent at pH 10 containing chloroform as modifier, the accuracy was close to 100%. Thus, it is now possible to achieve the same high accuracy with diaphragm-free coulometry as with the conventional diaphragm based technique. The precision of the water determinations was affected by the size of the background. Received: 16 March 2000 / Revised: 17 May 2000 / Accepted: 22 May 2000