Preparation of porous cellulose-based ODFs for drug delivery application by thermally induced porogen decomposition in solvent-cast films
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Orally dispersible films (ODFs) represent a promising pharmaceutical formulation aimed at enhancing ease of use and, consequently, improving patient compliance with therapy. In this study, we developed a novel method for preparing porous cellulose-based films by modifying the solvent casting technique. Unlike the original method, which is limited to water-insoluble polymers, our approach successfully integrated a porogen insoluble in an organic solvent. Subsequently, this porogen was removed through film heating and thermal decomposition. Several parametric studies were conducted to investigate the impact of various components of the formulation on film properties, including porogen, drug, and disintegrant content, and the mass ratio of the film former to thickener. A notable finding was significant reduction of disintegration time by an increase of the porogen content in the ODF, where the disintegration time decreased from 53.9 ± 2.4 s for samples with a porogen mass fraction of 0.27–4.3 ± 0.1 s for samples with a porogen mass fraction of 0.72. Furthermore, our results confirm that the presence of the porogen and its subsequent removal did not interfere with active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), which was Tadalafil, nor produce any toxic byproducts, underscoring the viability of prepared material as an alternative to current pharmaceutical forms.
Institution: University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmaceutical Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,810
Award: G3152605306
OpenAlex ID: W4415339480
