Development of a novel physico-chemically and microbiologically stable oral solution of flecainide for pediatrics

Pharm Dev Technol. 2018 Dec;23(10):978-985. doi: 10.1080/10837450.2016.1238484. Epub 2016 Oct 26.

Abstract

There is as yet no commercialized preparation for oral administration of flecainide acetate (FA) to children. In such cases, manipulation of commercial tablets is the usual practice in pharmacy services of hospitals and compounding pharmacies, to provide a suitable dosage form for this vulnerable pediatric population group. In this study, we have formulated FA as an oral solution, as an alternative to the suspension elaborated from commercial tablets. Due to this sensitivity of young patients, we have used the pure active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the lowest permitted levels of pediatric excipients. Despite being a highly soluble API, only one of the formulations appears as a transparent solution due to complete FA solubilization. The proposed formulation is physico-chemically and microbiologically stable and the mass and dose uniformity is appropriate for 30 days' storage at 25 °C.

Keywords: Flecainide acetate oral solution; dose uniformity; mass uniformity; microbiological stability; physico-chemical stability.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / chemistry
  • Bacterial Load
  • Child
  • Drug Compounding / methods
  • Drug Stability
  • Drug Storage
  • Excipients / chemistry
  • Flecainide / administration & dosage*
  • Flecainide / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Pediatrics
  • Pharmaceutical Solutions / chemistry
  • Solubility
  • Suspensions / chemistry
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / administration & dosage*
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Excipients
  • Pharmaceutical Solutions
  • Suspensions
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Flecainide