pdf Screening of Film Formers for Oral Thin Films, a Novel Pharmaceutical Dosage Form

Abstract

Oral films have gained popularity in recent years as novel pharmaceutical dosage forms, and are the most Oral dosage forms that avoid the hepatic system and provide a more effective therapeutic response are considered acceptable and accurate. These forms are particularly valued for their ease of use, especially among pediatric and geriatric patients, and are also favored by the pharmaceutical industry. They offer the combined benefits of the stability typically found in solid dosage forms and the practical application of liquids. The aim of the present study was to develop a versatile casting solution suitable for the production of oral thin films to which active pharmaceutical ingredients can be added.

           The research aimed to evaluate various film-forming materials for the development of orally dissolving films, with the goal of identifying optimal film formers and an appropriate manufacturing process. Various film forming polymers with different concentrations were used in this study as Hydroxyl Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC), Methyl Cellulose (MC), Pullulan, Carrageenan, Sodium Alginate, Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA), Starch and Gelatin.

            The solvent casting method with four different techniques was employed to formulate oral thin films. The oral thin films were evaluated for physical characteristics and inspection of its visual properties such as homogeneity, color, transparency, and surface morphology, mechanical properties, disintegration time, physical characteristics such as thickness, uniformity of weight, folding endurance. Among all polymers used, HPMC Pharmacoat 615, HPMC Pharmacoat 606 and Methyl Cellulose showed desired film forming and excellent acceptability with transparent nature showing least disintegration time. HPMC could be the most promising oral film former with the four techniques used in this study. From this study we can conclude that Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and Methyl cellulose (MC) can be successful oral film formers for preparing these kinds of oral thin films even without the presence surfactants that increase the speed of disintegration of these films in the mouth.