Biopharmaceutical Classification System and Method to Enhance Solubility of BCS class two Drugs

Biopharmaceutical Classification System(BCS)
By Sunny Kumar Sarraf
M.pharm-1st Sem
Date:- 17th Sep.21

Content
 Introduction
 Classes of BCS
 Detailed on improvement of solubility of class 2 drugs

Introduction
• The Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) is an
experimental model that measures permeability and solubility
under prescribed conditions. The original purpose of the system
was to aid in the regulation of post-approval changes and generics,
providing approvals based solely on in vitro data when appropriate

.
• BCS Class I: High Solubility and High Permeability
Compounds belonging to this class are normally expected to
dissolve quickly in gastric and intestinal fluids, and readily cross
the intestinal wall through passive diffusions Class I are unlikely
to show bioavailability or bioequivalence issues.
Although class I compounds are expected to have excellent oral
absorption, given their high solubility and high permeability,
additional absorption barriers may exist beyond the scope of the
BCS For example, luminal complexation and degradation can
significantly limit the amount of drug available for absorption.
Even after the drug crosses the intestinal membrane, it may be
metabolized within the enterocytes/hepatocytes and/or pumped out
of the cells due to efflux mechanisms.

.
BCS Class III: High Solubility and Low Permeability
Since passive diffusion is the rate-limiting step for oral absorption of
BCS class III compounds, the most effective way to improve
absorption and bioavailability of this class of compounds is to
increase the membrane permeability.
Approaches to improve permeability:
Prodrugs
Permeation enhancers

.
• BCS Class IV: Low Solubility and Low Permeability
Class IV compounds exhibit both poor solubility and poor
permeability, and they pose tremendous challenges to formulation
development. As a result, a substantial investment in dosage form
development with no guarantee of success should be expectedA
combination of class II and class III technologies could be used to
formulate class IV compounds, although the success rate is not
expected to be high

.
• BCS Class II: Poor Solubility and High Permeability
By definition, poor solubility and/or slow dissolution are the rate-
limiting steps for oral absorption of BCS class II compounds. For
compounds with a very large dose-to-solubility ratio, poor
solubility is likely to be the rate-limiting step for absorption. In
other words, the compounds may dissolve quickly enough to reach
their equilibrium solubility, but the solubility is too low to
establish a wide enough concentration gradient to drive passive
diffusion.
Formulations designed to overcome solubility or dissolution rate
problems:
1. Traditional Techniques
2. Newer and Novel Techniques
3. Solid Dispersion Technique

.
 TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES INCLUDES
1.Use of Co-Solvents
The solvents used in combination to increase the solubility of the
drugs are known as cosolvents. The cosolvent system works by
reducing the interfacial tension between the predominately aqueous
solution and the hydrophobic solute. Cosolvents such as ethanol,
propylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol and polyoxyethylene glycols can
be used.
2.Hydrotropy Method
It is a solubilization process whereby addition of large amounts of a
second solute (Hydrotropic agents) results in an increase in the
aqueous solubility of another solute. Solute consists of alkali metal
salts of various organic acids.. Additives or salts that increase
solubility in given solvent are said to “salt in” the solute and those
salts that decrease solubility “salt out” the solute. Several salts with
large anions or cations that are themselves very soluble in water
results in “salting in” of non-electrolytes called “hydrotropic salts” a
phenomenon known as “Hydrotropism”. The solubility of rofecoxib
was enhanced by using hydrotropes such as urea and nicotinamide .

.
3.Micronization
The process involves reducing the size of the solid drug particle to 1
to 10 microns commonly by spray drying or by use of air attrition
methods such as fluid energy mill, jet mill, rotor stator colloid mill
etc. The process is also called as “Micromilling”. Micronization is not
suitable for drugs having a high dose number because it does not
change the saturation solubility of the drug. Micronization of drug is
not preferred because micronized product has the tendency of
agglomeration, which leads to decreased effective surface area for
dissolution. There is increase in window of absorption of a drug by
micronization.
4.Amorphous forms
In amorphous forms atoms or molecules are randomly placed and
have higher thermodynamic energy than corresponding crystalline
forms. Solubility as well as dissolution rates are generally greater.
5. Chemical modification of drug
By the addition of polar groups like carboxylic acids, ketones and
amines, solubility is increased by increasing hydrogen bonding and
the interaction with water.

.
6.Use of Surfactants
When a surfactant such as tween-80, sodium lauryl sulphate is placed
in water, it will form micelles, polar end (the circular head) and non-
polar end (the tail).. A non polar drug will partition into the
hydrophobic core of the micelle and the polar tail will solubilize the
complex. This has been illustrated by solubilization and wetting
effects of bile salts on the dissolution of steroids.
7. Use of Hydrates or Solvates
Crystalline compound may contain either a stoichiometric or non-
stoichiometric adducts, such as inclusions, involve entrapped solvent
molecules within the crystal lattice. A stoichiometric adducts,
commonly referred to as “Solvate”, and is a molecular complex that
has incorporated the crystallizing solvent molecules into specific sites
within the crystal lattice. When the incorporated solvent is water, the
complex is called as “Hydrate”. A compound not containing any
water within its crystal structure is termed “Anhydrous”. Aqueous
solubilities of anhydrous forms are higher than the hydrate forms.

.
8.Use of Soluble Prodrugs
The most common prodrug strategy involves the incorporation of
polar or ionizable moiety into the parent compound to improve
aqueous solubility. The pro-drug approach has been successfully used
to improve the water solubility of corticosteroids, vitamins and
benzodiazepines. Enhancement of rate of dissolution of allopurinol
was successfully achieved by prodrug formation.
9.Application of Ultrasonic Waves
Solubility can be increased by the use of ultrasonic vibrators. An
oscillator of high frequency (100-500 KHz) is used and the device is
known as “Pohlman whistle”.
10. Functional Polymer Technology
It enhance the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs by avoiding the
lattice energy of the drug crystal, which is the main barrier to rapid
dissolution in aqueous media. These polymers are ion exchange
materials which contain basic or acidic groups that interact with the
ionizable molecules of the surrounding medium and exchange their
mobile ions of equal charge with surrounding medium reversibly and
stoichiometrically. The resultant complex, known as, “Resinate”, can
be formulated as a suspension, dry powder or tablet. The resins are

.
11.Controlled Precipitation Technology
In this process, the drug is dissolved in a water miscible organic
solvent and then dissolved into aqueous medium containing
stabilizers (HPMC, cellulose ethers, gelatin). The solvent dissolves in
water and causes precipitation of the drug in the form of micro-
crystals. The stabilizers control particle growth and enhance the
dissolution rate of poorly soluble drug due to large surface area
hydrophilized by the adsorbed stabilizer. For e.g. nanomorph, a
patented technology by Solids for controlled crystallization of drugs.
12.Evaporative Precipitation in Aqueous Solution (EPAS)
The EPAS process utilizes rapid phase separation to nucleate and
grow nanoparticles and microparticles of lipophilic drugs. The drug is
first dissolved in a low boiling point organic solvent. This solution is
pumped through a tube where it is heated under pressure to a
temperature above the solvents boiling point and then sprayed
through a fine atomizing nozzle into a heated aqueous solution.
Surfactants are added to the organic solution and aqueous solution to
optimize particle formation and solubilization. The solubility of
danazol was enhanced by this technique.

.
 NEWER AND NOVEL TECHNIQUES:
1..Lipid based delivery system
Lipid-based formulations have been shown to enhance oral absorption
of lipophilic drugs.
2.Self Dispersing Lipid Formulation (SDLF)
The SDLFs contain oil and a surfactant mixture into which the drug is
incorporated. They emulsify when mixed with aqueous environment.
3.Micellar Technologies
Mixed Micelles In general, amphiphilic, ionic, anionic or ampholytic
molecules, which are able to decrease the surface tension of a solvent,
arrange in micelles above a certain critical concentration. Micelle
formation can only occur above a certain solute concentration, the
critical micellar concentration (CMC), and at solution temperatures
above the critical micellar temperature (CMT).

.
4.Polymeric Micelles
Amphiphilic polymers assemble into nanoscopic supramolecular
core-shell structures, termed polymeric micelles. The block
copolymers used for formation of polymeric micelles are Pluronics®,
poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-phospholipid conjugates, PEG-b-poly
(ester), and PEG-bpoly (Lamino acids).
5.Porous Microparticle Technology
The poorly water soluble drug is embedded in microparticles having a
porous, water soluble, sponge like matrix. When mixed with water,
the matrix dissolves, wetting the drug and leaving a suspension of
rapidly dissolving drug particles. This is the core technology applied
as HDDS™ (Hydrophobic Drug Delivery System).
 SOLID DISPERSION SYSTEM
Types of Solid Dispersion System
Based on their molecular arrangement, six different types of solid
dispersions can be distinguished, they are:-

.
1.Discontinuous Solid Solution
In this the solubility of each of the components in the other
component is limited. Below a certain temperature, the mutual
solubilities of the two components start to decrease. It has been
suggested by Goldberg that the term `solid solution' should only be
applied when the mutual solubility of the two components exceeds
5% (35). Whether or not a given solid solution can be utilized as a
dosage form strategy will depend not only on the mutual solubilities
of the two components but also on the dose of the drug component.
2.Substitutional Crystalline Solid Solution
Classical solid solutions have a crystalline structure, in which the
solute molecules can either substitute for solvent molecules in the
crystal lattice or into the interstices between the solvent molecules.
Substitution is only possible when the size of the solute molecules
differs by less than 15% or so from that of the solvent molecules.

.
3.Amorphous Solid Solution
In an amorphous solid solution, the solute molecules are dispersed
molecularly but irregularly within the amorphous solvent. Using
griseofulvin in citric acid, it was the first attempt to report the
formation of an amorphous solid solution to improve a drug's
dissolution properties. Other carriers that were used in early studies
included urea and sugars such as sucrose, dextrose and galactose.
More recently, organic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP),
polyethylene glycol (PEG) and various cellulose derivatives have
been utilized for this purpose.
4.Glass Solution and Glass Suspension
A glass solution is a homogenous, glassy system in which a solute
dissolves in a glassy solvent. The glassy or vitreous state is usually
obtained by an abrupt quenching of the melt. It is characterized by
transparency and brittleness below the glass transition temperature
(Tg). On heating, it softens progressively and continuously without a
sharp melting point.

.
 Hite, M., Federici, C., Turner, S., 2003. Part 1: Oral delivery of poorly soluble
drugs. Pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging sourcer.Issue 1- 3.
 Babu, V.R., Areefulla, S.H., Mallikarjun, V., 2010. Solubility and Dissolution
Enhancement: An overview. J Pharm Research 3(1),141- 145.
 Bakatselou, V., Oppenheim, R.C., Dressman, J.B., 1991. Solubilization and
wetting effects of bile salts on the dissolution of steroids. Pharm Res. 8, 1461-
1469.
 Leuner, C., Dressman, J., 2000. Improving drug solubility for oral delivery using
solid dispersions. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 50, 47–60.
 Lachman, L., Lieberman, H.A., Kanig, J.L., 1990. The Theory and Practice of
Industrial Pharmacy.3rd ed. Varghese Publishing House, Bombay. 177.
 Javadzadeh, Y., Siahi-Shadbad, M.R., Barzegar- Jalali, M., Nokhodchi, A., 2005.
Enhancement of dissolution rate of piroxicam using liquisolid compacts. Farmaco.
60, 361-365.
 Malinowski, H.J., Bioavailability and bioequivalence testing. In: Remington: The
Science and Practice of Pharmacy. In: Gennaro AR, editor. 20th ed Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams Wilkinson, 2000; 995-1004.
 Chowdary, K.P.R., Madhavi, B.L.R., 2005. Novel drug delivery technologies for
insoluble drugs.Indian Drugs. 42(9), 557-564
 7) Amidon, G.L., Lenneranas, H., Shah, V.P., Crison J.R., 1995. A theoretical basis
for a biopharmaceutical drug classification: The correlation of in vitro drug
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 h t t p : / / w w w . f d a . g o v / AboutFDA/CentersOffices/cder/ ucm128219.htm
 3. M. Sherry Ku, Use of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System in Early
Drug Development, AAPS J., March 2008, 10(1), 208–212
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Biopharmaceutical Classification System and Method to Enhance Solubility of BCS class two Drugs

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