A non-destructive method for quality control of the pellet distribution within a MUPS tablet by terahertz pulsed imaging

Anna Novikova; Daniel Markl; J. Axel Zeitler; Thomas Rades; Claudia S. Leopold

doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2017.10.029

A non-destructive method for quality control of the pellet distribution within a MUPS tablet by terahertz pulsed imaging

Anna Novikova, Daniel Markl, J. Axel Zeitler, Thomas Rades, Claudia S. Leopold^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Strathclyde Institute Of Pharmacy And Biomedical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) was applied to analyse the inner structure of multiple unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets. MUPS tablets containing different amounts of theophylline pellets coated with Eudragit® NE 30 D and with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as cushioning agent were analysed. The tablets were imaged by TPI and the results were compared to X-ray microtomography. The terahertz pulse beam propagates through the tablets and is back-reflected at the interface between the MCC matrix and the coated pellets within the tablet causing a peak in the terahertz waveform. Cross-section images of the tablets were extracted at different depths and parallel to the tablet faces from 3D terahertz data to visualise the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets. The images of the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets were compared to X-ray microtomography images at the same depths. The surface-near structure could be clearly resolved by TPI at depths between 24 and 152 μm below the tablet surface. An increasing amount of pellets within the MUPS tablets appears to slightly decrease the detectability of the pellets within the tablets by TPI. TPI was shown to be a non-destructive method for the detection of pellets within the tablets and could resolve structures thicker than 30 μm. In conclusion, a proof-of-concept was provided for TPI as a method of quality control for MUPS tablets.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	549-555
Number of pages	7
Journal	European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume	111
Early online date	19 Oct 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2017.10.029
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2018

Funding

The authors would like to thank Evonik for providing Eudragit® NE 30D as well as Asahi Kasei Chemicals for supplying MCC. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Keywords

3D mapping
MUPS tablets
pellet distribution analysis
quality control
spectroscopy
terahertz pulsed imaging

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Novikova-etal-EJPS-2018-A-non-destructive-method-for-quality-control-of-the-pelletAccepted author manuscript, 187 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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title = "A non-destructive method for quality control of the pellet distribution within a MUPS tablet by terahertz pulsed imaging",

abstract = "Terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) was applied to analyse the inner structure of multiple unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets. MUPS tablets containing different amounts of theophylline pellets coated with Eudragit{\textregistered} NE 30 D and with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as cushioning agent were analysed. The tablets were imaged by TPI and the results were compared to X-ray microtomography. The terahertz pulse beam propagates through the tablets and is back-reflected at the interface between the MCC matrix and the coated pellets within the tablet causing a peak in the terahertz waveform. Cross-section images of the tablets were extracted at different depths and parallel to the tablet faces from 3D terahertz data to visualise the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets. The images of the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets were compared to X-ray microtomography images at the same depths. The surface-near structure could be clearly resolved by TPI at depths between 24 and 152 μm below the tablet surface. An increasing amount of pellets within the MUPS tablets appears to slightly decrease the detectability of the pellets within the tablets by TPI. TPI was shown to be a non-destructive method for the detection of pellets within the tablets and could resolve structures thicker than 30 μm. In conclusion, a proof-of-concept was provided for TPI as a method of quality control for MUPS tablets.",

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AU - Markl, Daniel

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AU - Rades, Thomas

AU - Leopold, Claudia S.

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AB - Terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) was applied to analyse the inner structure of multiple unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets. MUPS tablets containing different amounts of theophylline pellets coated with Eudragit® NE 30 D and with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as cushioning agent were analysed. The tablets were imaged by TPI and the results were compared to X-ray microtomography. The terahertz pulse beam propagates through the tablets and is back-reflected at the interface between the MCC matrix and the coated pellets within the tablet causing a peak in the terahertz waveform. Cross-section images of the tablets were extracted at different depths and parallel to the tablet faces from 3D terahertz data to visualise the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets. The images of the surface-near structure of the MUPS tablets were compared to X-ray microtomography images at the same depths. The surface-near structure could be clearly resolved by TPI at depths between 24 and 152 μm below the tablet surface. An increasing amount of pellets within the MUPS tablets appears to slightly decrease the detectability of the pellets within the tablets by TPI. TPI was shown to be a non-destructive method for the detection of pellets within the tablets and could resolve structures thicker than 30 μm. In conclusion, a proof-of-concept was provided for TPI as a method of quality control for MUPS tablets.

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A non-destructive method for quality control of the pellet distribution within a MUPS tablet by terahertz pulsed imaging

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