Quality Assessment for Sustained Release Pharmaceutical Preparations by Dissolution Test Using Microdialysis-HPLC Method

Dissolution testing is a core performance test in pharmaceutical development and quality control. The conventional HPLC dissolution method (batch-sampling method) has many steps such as the filtration, collection and replenishment of sample solutions. We previously reported the dissolution test by using microdialysis methods (microdialysis-HPLC method) that can omit many steps. In this study, we investigated whether the microdialysis-HPLC method can be applied to quality assessment for sustained release preparations by a dissolution test. Calcium-channel blockers nifedipine tablets (20 mg) were used, and the test solution used was 0.2 M hydrogen phosphate-citric acid buffer (pH 6.8) with or without 1% sodium lauryl sulfate. In both test solutions, the microdialysis-HPLC method is able to accomplish continuous sampling of sample solutions, and the dissolution behaviors of original nifedipine tablets by the microdialysis-HPLC method were similar to that of the batch-sampling method. In contrast, the dissolution behaviors by the microdialysis-HPLC method were different between original nifedipine tablets and generic products, and the dissolution behaviors in the microdialysis-HPLC method tend to reflect the pharmaceutical design in comparison with the batch-sampling method. In addition, standard deviation in the microdialysis-HPLC method was lower than that of the batch-sampling method. We found that the recovery rate of nifedipine by the microdialysis-HPLC method was increased with the decrease in flow rate through dialysis probe. These findings provide significant information that can be used in pharmaceutical development and quality assessment for original and generic pharmaceutical products, which are sustained release preparations.