Accelerated Aspirin Degradation in Pill Organizers

Abstract

This aim of this study was to survey the rate of accelerated degradation of coated and uncoated aspirin tablets stored in pill organizers (POs). POs are multi-compartment boxes that patients commonly use to sort pills, especially if the medication regime is complex. The use of POs involves removing the pill from its original package and placing it in the compartment for extended periods of time. Although an effective sorting tool, POs might allow accelerated degradation of the drug since medications are subjected to more light, humidity and temperature. Degradation of medications entails many health hazards and concerns, hence the importance of assessing the rate of formation of degradation by products. A 31-compartment PO, which is commonly used at local retirement houses, was investigated. It is typically placed in a drug cabinet inside a bathroom. Aspirin degrades by hydrolysis to form salicylic acid, which causes stomach irritation. pH titration of aspirin tablets in PO and in original packaging was used to qualitatively establish that aspirin undergoes accelerated degradation in POs placed in bathroom drug cabinets. The percentage of free salicylic acid in coated and uncoated aspirin tablets was measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). %SA in uncoated tablets reached 1.503%, which is five times above the USP limit of 0.30%. Uncoated tablets reach the maximum limit after 18 days of storage in PO. Coated tablets remained within the prescribed USP limit of 3.0%. The findings of the study established that storing aspirin pills in POs for extended periods of time is an inappropriate practice as it accelerates the rate at which tablets undergo hydrolysis degradation.