HPMC Cloud Point: Exploring Hydroxypropylmethyl Cellulose Behavior in Pharmaceutical Formulations

摘要

Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) is widely used in pharmaceutical applications as a sustained release agent (Viriden, Wittgren et al. 2011), tablet coating, nanoparticulate stabilisers and nucleation inhibitor (Ghosh, Bose et al. 2011). In these applications its gelation behaviour is key to its performance and therefore needs to be understood within each system. Aqueous solutions of HPMC display two characteristic temperatures: a thermal gelation temperature (TGT) and a lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The gelation behaviour of HPMC is influenced by the HPMC degree of substitution, formulation additives (such as salts, surfactants, drug molecules) and temperature (Zhang, Wang et al. 2015).