Influence of Granulating Fluids in Hydroxypropycellulose Binder Solution on Physical Properties of Lactose Granules

Abstract

In the present study, a water/isopropyl alcohol system was selected as the solvent in a hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) binder solution for the preparation of lactose granules.With a fluidized bed granulation method, the mean granule diameter increased as the adhesion tension (γcosθ) and lactose solubility increased. With an agitating granulation method, the mean granule diameter was independent of the adhesion tension and lactose solubility, but it increased as the viscosity of the binder solution increased.With both granulating methods, greanule hardness increased as the adhesion tension and lactose solubility increased, while the pore volume of the granules decreased as the adhesion tension and lactose solubility increased.The quantitative relationship between the physical properties of the granules and several properties of the solvent solution was investigated by the application of multiple regression analysis.