Comparison of quantitative methods for analysis of polyphasic pharmaceuticals

Adequate very sensitive quantification methods are needed for the development and are also now required for the monitoring of undesirable solid form(s) as routine tests. The pre-requisite for quantitation are selectivity, sensitivity and most important the purity of standards and their proper storage, what is a challenge for metastable forms. Several analytical techniques are available such as X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, thermal analysis and microcalorimetry. The different steps of the validation of the analytical methods and problems to be solved are discussed. Examples illustrate the different techniques and compare their possible advantages and limits. The relative standard deviation of measurements should allow for checking the homogenization procedure of mixtures for calibration. The validation should be carried out following ICH guidelines for validation of analytical methods. Comparison of different techniques in adequate concentration range add confidence in the analytical results.     

Pseudopolymorphs in Industrial Use

The common property of organic and inorganic solids of forming pseudopolymorphs are of very high importance in chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Depending on the solvent some compounds form hydrates (with water) or solvates (with other solvents) in different stoichiometric proportions. Pseudopolymorphs exhibit different physical properties like density, habitus, stability, dissolution rate or bioavailability as known for polymorphs. Phase transformations, existing between the different phases, including the anhydrous or nonsolvate form, vary e.g. with temperature, pressure, relative humidity and solvent. If these process parameters are changed, phase transformations cannot be excluded, either prefered or surprising. In a common project industrial relevant properties of pseudopolymorphs are elucidated on a scientific basis.     

A Simple Correlation between the Structures of Different Crystal Modifications of a Given Host–Guest Complex and their Crystallization Temperatures

The formation of different crystal modifications of a given host-guest complex depending on the crystallization temperature (pseudopolymorphism) is studied. It is shown that such pseudopolymorphism is a characteristic feature of versatile host compounds. A very important rule for host-guest chemistry is derived from the results of the X-ray structural investigations of pseudopolymorphs: the higher the crystallization temperature of the modification the more closed is the space occupied by guest molecules. On the basis of the formulated rule a recommendation for the topological control and solution of some central problems of supramolecular chemistry is proposed.     

Physico-chemical Characterization of Hydrated and Anhydrous Crystal Forms of Amlodipine Besylate

The antihypertensive drug substance amlodipine besylate crystallizes in two stable crystal forms, an anhydrate and a hitherto unknown monohydrate. Both forms have been characterized by thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffractometry, FTIR- and FT Raman spectroscopy. Moisture sorption- and desorption investigations reveal their unusual physical stability in a broad range of relative humidities. The monohydrate forms an isomorphic dehydrate upon dehydration, which was elucidated by variable temperature X-ray powder diffractometry. Physico-chemical properties as well as relative stabilities of the crystal forms are described and discussed based on a comprehensive analytical identification, and enable an estimation of practical relevance for manufacturing of amlodipine besylate solid dosage forms. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interaction of pharmaceutical hydrates with supercritical CO2

The aim of this work was to study the solubility in supercritical CO₂ of the hydrated phase of three model drugs, namely theophylline, carbamazepine, and diclofenac sodium, in comparison with the respective anhydrous form. Possible solid-state modifications, stemming from the interaction with supercritical CO₂, were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, hot stage microscopy, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and Karl-Fischer titrimetry. It was found that all three pharmaceutical hydrates exhibited higher solubility in supercritical CO₂ than the relevant anhydrous phases. In the case of theophylline monohydrate, the instability of the crystal phase at the experimental temperature adopted has been evidenced. Diclofenac sodium tetrahydrate represents a peculiar case of chemical interaction with the acid supercritical fluid, mediated by crystal water. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Crystal forms of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist BR-A657

The compound BR-A657 is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. The objective of this work was to investigate the existence of polymorphs and pseudopolymorphs of BR-A657 and the transformation of crystal forms. Three crystal forms of BR-A657 have been isolated by recrystallization and characterized by powder X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. After storage of three days at 0% RH (silica gel, 20°C), 52% RH (saturated solution of Na₂Cr₂O₇·2H₂O/20°C) and 95% RH (saturated solution of Na₂HPO₄/20°C), Forms 2 and 3 were transformed to Form 1.     

Solvent-Induced Phase Transformations of Hydrates

An increase of the specific surface area of solid phases is often desirable e.g. for the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals or in chemical processes. Such an increase can a.o. be achieved by suspending crystalline substances in a solvent that induces phase transformations. Hence, the original substance has to be in a metastable state in the solvent. If the stable phase after transformation has in addition a very low solubility in the solvent, a dendritic growth is forced to occur because of the high local supersaturations during the phase change. This dendritic growth of the stable phase in term leads to needle- or whisker-like crystals, which have the desired larger specific surface area in comparison to the initial crystalline substance.In order to investigate this phenomenon several hydrates of salts were chosen, which undergo phase transformations to their anhydrates accompanied by a corresponding loss of crystal water when suspended in excess in lower alcohols. Consequently, anhydrous forms were created by dehydrating these hydrates. The transformation rate or in this case the dehydration level can thus be indirectly measured by Karl-Fischer titration. The thermodynamic background of the dehydration phenomena can be clarified by solubility studies of the hydrates and anhydrates in water/alcohol-mixtures.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: Effective Tool for Screening of Polymorphs in Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has emerged as an important technique for the screening and characterization of polymorphs in pharmaceuticals. Polymorphism, the ability of a substance to exist in two or more crystalline phases having different physicochemical and biopharmaceutical parameters, has attracted pharmaceutical scientists due to the patentability of new forms. Transformation of the solid phase due to polymorphic changes during manufacturing and storage may lead to formulation hurdles. Vibrational spectroscopy, particularly NIR spectroscopy, is a widely used technique for polymorphs screening in drug development processes and has emerged as a process analytical technology tool. In this review, a brief overview of NIR spectroscopy, chemometric tools, and polymorphs screening of pharmaceuticals using NIR spectroscopy is presented. Recent developments in NIR spectroscopy instrumentation are also discussed.     

DSC studies on the polymorphism and pseudopolymorphism of pharmaceutical substances

A complex system including thermoanalytical methods, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction for studying physico-chemical behaviour of binary mixtures is described. This system has been tested by investigating binary mixtures of amphetamine hydrochloride salts.These studies have proved that among the selected compounds the primary and secondary amine hydrochloride salts exhibit conglomerate forming tendency, while the tertiary amine hydrochloride salts form molecular compounds (racemates). For thep-fluoro amphetamine hydrochloride the existence of two polymorphic modifications has been detected.The authors are grateful to D. Kozma (Department of Organic Chemical Technology) for the thermoanalytical data of compound III, to Prof. E. Fogassy for the fruitful discussion.