Flurbiprofen cataplasms: Development and validation of in-vitro dissolution methods and evaluation of multimedia dissolution profiles

Abstract

The investigation of the systemic release performance of dosage forms using in vitro tools is a crucial objective in the realm of pharmaceutical development. The dissolution methodology is an effective tool for monitoring batch-to-batch variabilities in quality control and gaining insight into the release mechanisms of pharmaceutical drugs. The majority of the dissolution techniques that have been approved are primarily intended for solid oral dosage forms. Nevertheless, these techniques have also been applied to various other dosage forms, including transdermal drug delivery systems. The administration of medication through cataplasm, a transdermal application, poses challenges in understanding the characteristics of drug release. Flurbiprofen is classified as a class II drug according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System and is commonly administered in the form of a cataplasm for its analgesic properties. A dissolution method was developed to assess the in vitro release profile of the flurbiprofen transdermal delivery system. This method utilized a United States Pharmacopeia dissolution apparatus V, with a disc assembled over the paddle. Additionally, a method for quantification was developed using liquid chromatography. The discriminatory aspect of the developed method has faced criticism due to substantial alterations in excipient composition. Furthermore, we have developed clearly defined multimedia release profiles within the physiological pH range. The validation of the dissolution and chromatography systems was conducted.