Background: In tablet production, the most important aspects are the physical properties of the tablets and their dissolution studies, which can be performed in four pharmacopoeial apparatuses. There are differences between them in construction and action, so differences in the results obtained are possible.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the release of a model drug substance (papaverine hydrochloride) from tablets in three pharmacopoeial dissolution apparatus: a basket, a paddle (closed system) and flow-through cell (open system).
Material and methods: The one series of tablets were produced by direct compression in a tablet press. The physical properties of the tablets (weight and size uniformity test, friability and hardness tests, disintegration time test), drug content and the release study of papaverine hydrochloride from tablets were studied in three dissolution apparatuses. The content of the active substance was studied spectrophotometrically.
Results: All tablets met the pharmacopoeic requirements. Over 80% of the model substance released from the tablets after 14 min in flow through the cell apparatus, while in the basket and paddle apparatuses after about 7 min 30 sec. After 20 min, the amount of the substance released in all apparatuses was over 90%.
Conclusions: The release profiles of the drug substance in paddle and basket apparatuses were similar, while in the flow-through cell apparatus it was slightly slower. When the study conditions and composition of the tablets are the same, the release profile of the drug can be affected by the type of dissolution apparatus.