STEREOSPECIFIC DETERMINATION OF THE IN-VITRO DISSOLUTION OF MODIFIED RELEASE FORMULATIONS OF (+/-)-VERAPAMIL

The determination of the in vitro dissolution profiles of three different modified-release formulations of (+/-)-verapamil were determined and compared to a reference (Calan SR). The determination of (+/-)-verapamil utilized a microwave-facilitated derivatization reaction with an enantiomerically pure reagent followed by measurement of drug by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The dissolution profile of each of the four modified-release formulations was followed for the first hour in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and then in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.5) for up to a total of 12 h. The resulting dissolution profiles of each modified-release formulation suggested that only one of the three test formulations had a similar dissolution to the Calan SR reference. Interestingly, the (S:R)-enantiomer ratios of two of the test products were significantly different from unity, and the third test product was also significantly different from unity if 4 out of 5 outliers were omitted. It is suggested that dissolution testing of modified-release formulations containing chiral active ingredients must be stereospecific in order to discern whether a drug-excipient interaction occurs. Additionally, it may be suggested that dissolution techniques relying more upon diffusion of medium through the tablet matrix, rather than erosion of the tablet, may accentuate enantiomeric differences in release rates. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.