Effect of CO2 laser irradiation on Eudragit® L100-55, L100 and S100 coatings to modify drug release:(TJPS-2020-0111.R2)

Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) laser irradiation to modify three types of pH-dependent Eudragit® (L100-55, L100 and S100) enteric coats with the aim of modulating drug release kinetics from the tablet cores. CO2 laser irradiation causes rapid melting and re-solidification/vapourization of materials locally and precisely through the absorption of infrared energy and so can potentially disrupt the barrier integrity and function of enteric coats. It was successfully utilized to shorten the lag time of drug release (T50% and T80%) during dissolution testing. These changes were mainly caused either by pore formation on the surface of the coating and/or loosening of the film coat. In addition, changes in mechanical properties (Young’s modulus and tensile strengths) and shifted IR peaks of the irradiated coatings were found, which correlated with drug release rates. This work is a proof-of-concept of tailoring drug release profiles by adjusting the power of the laser energy which could be useful for the modification of drug release for personalized medicines.

:TJPS-2020-0111.R2