The <i>in Vitro</i> Release of Indomethacin from Suppositories: Effects of Bases and Comparison of Different Dissolution Methods

The suitability of apparatuses for the quality control of indomethacin (IND, 50 mg) compounded suppositories was evaluated and the effects of the type of suppository base on release profiles was investigated. The release characteristics of hydrophilic and lipophilic suppositories containing IND were compared using four types of dissolution methods: basket (RB), paddle (PD), dialysis tubing (DT) and flow-through cell (FTC). The release process was evaluated using the following model independent parameters: the mean dissolution time (MDT), cumulative percent of drug released (Q) at the end of the sampling time, and dissolution efficiency (DE). The fastest and most reproducible release profiles were observed for a hydrophilic base (macrogols), which resulted in more than 90% of the drug being released in 30 min using PD, RB and FTC. After 90 min, 90% of the total amount of the drug was released from a mixture of hydrophilic bases with a lipophilic base (macrogols and hard fat) in compendial dissolution methods and the mixture base was the second fastest only to the hydrophilic base. The slowest release profiles in each method were observed for the lipophilic base (hard fat). Poor drug release from any type of suppository base was noted using DT. Based on the results of the present study, FTC may be regarded as an adequate technique allowing sufficient discriminating power for the quality control of IND compounded suppositories.