Chemical stability interaction with excipients

Drug substances used as pharmaceuticals have diverse molecular structures and are, therefore, susceptible to many and variable degradation pathways. Possible degradation pathways include hydrolysis, dehydration, isomerization and racemization, elimination, oxidation, photodegradation, and complex interactions with excipients and other drugs. It would be very useful if we could predict the chemical instability of a drug based on its molecular structure. This would help both in the design of stability studies and, at the earliest... 

Mrozek et al. synthesized fourteen acyloxy derivatives of 5(S-cholic acid as novel potential transdermal penetration enhancers and intestinal drug absorption modifiers (Figure 49.6). Nontoxic bile acid/salt derivatives (as amphiphilic compounds) are used widely in drug formulations as excipients and can influence gastrointestinal solubility, absorption, and chemical/enzymatic stability of drugs. Transdermal penetration enhancers are special pharmaceutical excipients that interact with skin components to increase the penetration of drugs into blood circulation after topical application. Structure confirmation of all generated compounds was accomplished by H NMR, NMR, IR, and mass spectrometer (MS) spectroscopy. 

The stability of excipients is almost always taken for granted. Obviously, there is the potential for a phase change with certain lower melting excipients, e.g., semisolid materials, however, this is not a chemical phenomenon although it may enhance the potential for interaction by increasing the effective interface available at which the interaction can take place. However, some materials are not stable under conditions encountered in excipient compatibility screening or accelerated stability testing. A notable example is dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate. At temperatures as low as 37°C, under certain conditions, the dihydrate can dehydrate to form the anhydrous material with the concomitant loss of water of crystallization (25), and at 25°C, it is a stable solid with a shelf life, when stored correctly, of more than two years. 

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