The effect of spray drying solutions of bendroflumethiazide/polyethylene glycol on the physicochemical properties of the resultant materials

The physicochemical properties of co-spray dried bendroflumethiazide (BFMT)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 composites were investigated. The co-spray dried composites produced from all BFMT/polymer solutions were amorphous. BFMT/PEG 4000 10 and 20% systems consisted of smooth spherical particles approximately 0.5-4mm in diameter. Spray drying resulted in no significant production of the main BFMT degradant, 5-trifluoromethyl-2,4-disulphamoylaniline (TFSA), and for composites consisting of 90% PEG 4000 by weight of total solids, spray drying appeared a superior method of production than the melt method which resulted in significant BFMT degradation. All BFMT/PEG compressed discs showed initial increased release of BFMT compared to discs of micronised BFMT alone, with the spray dried BFMT/PEG 4000 10% system showing initial rates two to three times that of BFMT alone. The physical stability of amorphous BFMT was reduced on inclusion of PEG 4000, recrystallisation occurring more quickly with increasing amount of PEG 4000 in the composites. PEG in the co-spray dried systems appeared to degrade on storage and recrystallised samples failed to show the presence of PEG by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) or GPC. DSC results were consistent with BFMT/PEG forming a eutectic combination rather than a monotectic system.