[Technological and pharmacotherapeutic properties of selected drugs with modified release of diclofenac sodium].

AIM OF THE STUDY:Diclofenac and its sodium salt is one of the best-known and popular therapeutic agents from the group of NSAIDs used in medicine in many various pharmaceutical forms. Therapeutic products containing diclofenac sodium salt in doses of 100 mg and 75 mg with a qualitatively and quantitatively diversified share of excipients and a variable dosage form of the drug (solid capsules, tablets with modified release) were subjected to technological and pharmaceutical analysis. The effect of solid formulation components of polymer character making the core and the coating of the pharmaceutical form of therapeutic products on the disintegration time and pharmaceutical availability in pharmacopoeial receptor fluids was estimated. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Market therapeutic products with diclofenac sodium in doses of 75 mg and 100 mg, technological analysis of the drug dosage form was conducted, disintegration time of solid oral dosage forms of the drug with diclofenac sodium salt was examined and research on pharmaceutical availability of diclofenac sodium salt from tested therapeutic products was conducted using the acid phase and the buffer phase according to the FP standards for delayed release enteral dosage forms. The experimental data was supplemented with the statistical analysis. RESULTS:There are three formulations in the form of solid capsules and one formulation in the form of a coated tablet. All therapeutic products bear features of a dosage form of modified release of diclofenac sodium salt, frequently of a delayed release formula in the duodenum or the small intestine with regard to the limitation of typical undesirable effects after taking NSAIDs. Considerable diversity between solid capsules and the tablet with modified release during disintegration or hydration and swelling has been observed. In the environment of a receptor fluid--purified water (pH = 7) the capsule Dicloberl retard disintegrates at the fastest rate in 5,49 minutes, and then in the order: DicloDuo 75 mg--8,13 minutes and Olfen 100 SR--11,27 minutes. The hydration degree of gelatin walls of capsules depends on the pH of the receptor fluid. The availability of diclofenac sodium salt in given receptor fluids confirms the fact of significant connection of clinical effectiveness of the tested pharmaceutical forms with the activity of hydrogen ions (pH) of the environment in which there are therapeutic products, and excipients used for making the pharmaceutical phase. CONCLUSIONS:Tested therapeutic products with diclofenac sodium salt are differentiated by the type of a dosage form. Dicloberl retard contains the minimally indispensable number of simple, commonly used excipients. The research on the disintegration time may only be related to the products Dicloberl retard, Olfen 100 SR and DicloDuo 75 mg treating it as the time of deformation and disintegration of a capsule. In all three types of receptor fluids, the capsule Dicloberl retard has the fastest disintegration rate. The "acid phase" demonstrated stability of the products with a slight dissolution of diclofenac sodium salt on the level 1,3-4,18% of the Q release coefficient. In the environment of artificial intestinal juice, Dicloberl retard is more effective releasing larger amounts of diclofenac sodium salt during 4 hours of exposition (differences from 10% to 14% of the Q release coefficient).