Abstract
Purpose
To educate healthcare professionals regarding the risks of manipulating drug products formulated via nanocrystal or amorphous solid dispersion technologies.
Summary
Recent pharmaceutics innovations such as nanocrystals and amorphous solid dispersions have been used successfully to improve oral bioavailability of drugs. Over 30 drug products based on these technologies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and more are in the development pipeline. While these products are similar in appearance to traditional tablets or capsules, they should not be crushed or suspended in liquid vehicles. Such manipulations can compromise the integrity of the formulation and subsequently alter the oral bioavailability. It is alarming that the majority of these products are not included in the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) “Do Not Crush” list. A summary drug table is presented in this article to provide accurate information for pharmacists and other healthcare providers.
Conclusion
Novel formulations of tablets and capsules are being used to increase the oral bioavailability of certain drugs. Crushing these products can significantly alter product performance and clinical outcomes. We encourage ISMP to add these drug products to the Do Not Crush list due to wide use of this list throughout healthcare. In the meantime, pharmacists should be mindful of the new formulation technologies and advocate for the proper use of these drug products.
Improved solubility, dissolution rate, and oral bioavailability of main biflavonoids from Selaginella doederleinii extract by amorphous solid dispersion
