Design and evaluation of novel barrier layer technologies for controlling venlafaxine hydrochloride release from tablet dosage form

Abstract

Context: Venlafaxine Hydrochloride (VH) is a highly soluble and highly permeable antidepressant compound. Thus controlling VH release from tablet dosage form over a prolonged period is a challenge.

Objective: The objective of this work was to study the effect of various barrier layer formulation compositions, its orientations and manufacturing technology on release profile of highly soluble VH.

Materials and methods: Different barrier compositions and orientations were established on the same extended release formulations of VH using compression as well as film coating technologies. Barrier effectiveness in reducing the VH release was verified through in vitro dissolution studies.

Results and discussion: The “belly band” portion of the tablets was successfully oriented in different ways to develop bilayer as well as trilayer tablets. The compression technology had substantially reduced the VH release up to 16% in various compositions and orientation as compared to core tablet. The film coating technology had reduced the VH release up to 14% effectively; thereby shifting the dissolution curve to downside.

Conclusion: The explored “belly band” portion of the tablets had reduced the VH release substantially. These innovatively created different barrier orientation technologies hold the great promise of commercialization in future.

• Barriers
• belly band
• controlled release
• dissolution profile
• highly soluble
• rapid release
• technology
• venlafaxine hydrochloride

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.