The Effect of Polymer Type and Molecular Weight on Mechanical Properties of Oral Films

Nova Southeastern University, Davie, Florida, USA

Objective:Investigate mechanical attributes of oral films composed of common pharmaceutical polymers affecting their manufacturing. Background:Oral is the preferred route of drug administration for its safety and patient compliance. Oral films are relatively new dosage forms with the potentials of replacing tablets and capsules for their ease of production and administration. However, the formulation of oral films is challenging as the selection of the appropriate drug carrier can influence the performance of dosage forms to a great degree. Therefore, selecting the right carrier with adequate mechanical properties is the first step in designing such dosage forms. Methods:Oral films of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and chitosan at different molecular weights (MW) were prepared by the solvent casting method (1% film solution dried at 40°C, 24 hr). Rupture test was performed on the samples using a Texture Analyzer (CT3-4500) equipped with TA33 probe. Puncture strength (PS) and elongation at break (EB) were calculated for all samples. All measurements were performed in triplicates. Results:Chitosan films showed higher PS and EB% values than CMC films at different molecular weights indicating that chitosan films are stronger and more flexible. Compared to commercial oral films, both CMC and chitosan films showed higher PS and EB%. Moreover, the mechanical properties of CMC films were affected by MW (p-value Conclusion:Mechanical properties of oral films can be tuned and adjusted using different polymers and polymers possessing different molecular weights. Grants:This study was supported by NSU Grant 335114.