Mesoporous Pravastatin Solid Dispersion Granules Incorporable Into Orally Disintegrating Tablets

Herein, we aimed to prepare porous granules of pravastatin and evaluate their applicability to orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs). Pravastatin solid dispersion granules (PSDGs-A) were prepared by dispersing pravastatin sodium in D-mannitol (the dispersion medium) in the presence of ammonium bicarbonate (the sublimation agent) using a spray-drying process. The PSDGs-A were round, irregularly shaped, mesoporous agglomerates with appropriate particle size, bulk density, and flowability for the tableting process. The mesopore formation in PSDGs-A resulted from the complete sublimation of ammonium bicarbonate during spray-drying and resulted in a notably high surface area. When the PSDGs-A were blended with ODT excipients and then directly compressed into ODTs (PSDGs-A-ODTs), they were readily incorporated into ODTs without tableting problems and had desirable ODT characteristics. They demonstrated rapid disintegration times because of the fast water uptake of mesoporous PSDGs-A caused by their high surface area. This rapid disintegration of PSDGs-A-ODTs was reflected also by their quick initial dissolution. The mesoporous PSDGs-A prepared with ammonium bicarbonate using the spray-drying process can be used to develop pravastatin ODTs. This spray-dried, mannitol-based solid dispersion of drugs using sublimation solids is a potential formulation technology for ODT product development.