Formulation and Evaluation of Lurasidone Hydrochloride Fast Dissolving Tablets

Abstract

Antipsychotic medication lurasidone is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In this study, a new effort was made to improve the solubility, rate of dissolution, and oral bioavailability of the poorly soluble drug lurasidone by manufacturing it as solid dispersions utilising a variety of methods and a carrier called polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000. The prepared solid dispersions were used to prepare fast dissolving tablets by using super disintegrants. A novel super disintegrant called Microcrystalline Cellulose-Polyethylene Glycol (MCC-PEG) Conjugate was also created as part of the project. PEGylation of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) was done since PEG has the ability to increase the water absorption capacity and MCC acts as a disintegrant. Super disintegrants such as sodium starch glycolate, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugate were used to create Lurasidone tablets that dissolve quickly. Tablets were tested for physical parameters and drug release by in vitro dissolution studies. Through SEM examination, DSC, and XRD tests, optimised solid dispersions surface properties, drug-excipient interactions, and crystal morphology have all been assessed. All the tablet preparations containing superdisintegrants were formed to release the drug in the order MCC-PEG Conjugate>Crospovidone> Croscarmellose sodium > Sodium starch glycolate. The dissolution rate of such tablet formulations were found to release the drug at a faster rate than the tablets prepared with plain drug.