Spherical Crystallization: A Novel Particle Design Technique

Abstract

Oral route is the most important route of drug administration. In this route, the solid dosage form specially tablets, are the first choice of patient but due to unfavorable physical and mechanical properties their formulation process becomes problematic. Crystallization is the main process in the pharmaceutical industry for particle formation, Where Spherical crystallization is a novel particle engineering technique developed. Basically, it's single step process used for size enlargement of drug. By which crystallization and agglomeration can be carried out simultaneously in one step and which has been successfully utilized for improvement of flowability, compactability and bioavailability of crystalline drugs. General methods of spherical crystallization are spherical agglomeration, emulsion, solvent diffusion method, ammonia diffusion method, neutralization method. Spherical crystallization is having wide applications in pharmaceuticals like improvement of flowability and compressibility of poorly compressible drugs, masking bitter taste of drugs and improving the solubility and dissolution rate of poorly soluble drug.  Characterization of spherical crystals can be carried out using Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Powder Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry.

Keywords: spherical crystallization, compressibility, flowbility, solubility.