Measurement of agitation force in dissolution test and mechanical destructive force in disintegration test

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the agitation force and mechanical destructive force on the drug dissolution of a tablet in the paddle rotation dissolution test and in the disintegration test. The agitation in the paddle method and the mechanical destructive force in the disintegration test were considered to be conclusive factors for drug dissolution. The dissolution rate of planar-constant-release tablets increased with increasing paddle rotation speed and increased with increasing distance from the center of the vessel bottom. Separately, the fluid resistance (agitation force) in the vessel was measured using a modified paddle method apparatus equipped with a fluid resistance sensor. The fluid resistance was 0.03 x 10(-3) N/(64 mm(2)) when the paddle rotation speed was 50 rpm at a position 4 mm away from the center. A considerable position-dependent change in agitation force intensity was seen with the fluid resistance sensor. The impulsive force (mechanical destructive force) in the disintegration test apparatus was measured using a modified basket-rack assembly with a strain gauge transducer. The fluid resistance was measured using the basket-rack assembly with a different sensor probe and amplifier. The impulsive force applied by the auxiliary disk was 0.31 N and the fluid resistance at the bottom of the basket-rack assembly was 1.66 x 10(-3) N/(64 mm(2)). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.