Development of a formulation of potassium iodide tablets as an antidote against nuclear incidents

Juan de Dios Azorín Abraham; Guillermo Torrado Durán; Norma Sofía Torres Pabón; Antonio Peña-Fernández; María Ángeles Peña Fernández

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101814

Development of a formulation of potassium iodide tablets as an antidote against nuclear incidents

Saudi Pharm J. 2023 Nov;31(11):101814. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101814. Epub 2023 Oct 5.

Authors

Juan de Dios Azorín Abraham¹, Guillermo Torrado Durán², Norma Sofía Torres Pabón², Antonio Peña-Fernández³, María Ángeles Peña Fernández²

Affiliations

¹ Military Defence Pharmacy Centre, Road M-609, Km 34, 28770 Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain.
² Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcala, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
³ Department of Surgery and Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcala, E-28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.

Abstract

Objectives: Potassium iodide (KI) is a treatment to neutralize radioactive agents that could be inhaled or ingested in nuclear incidents. The inorganic salt KI constitutes a source of iodine, which in the body acts by accumulating in the thyroid gland, producing its saturation, and thus preventing the fixation of radioactive iodine species. In Spain, the Military Defence Pharmacy Centre (CEMILFARDEF) was challenged to develop this antidote to be distributed among the population surrounding nuclear power plants, in only one new solid pharmaceutical form for oral administration, in order to replace the two pharmaceutical forms available, which are capsules for adults and oral solution for children, considered less versatile.

Methods: A selection of excipients was carried out to achieve pharmacotechnical behaviour suitable for the industrial manufacture of potassium iodide in tablets, complying with the pre-established process and finished product quality parameters. The development allowed the preparation of three industrial-sized batches on which the stability of the developed formulation was studied.

Results: An uncoated 65 mg double-scored potassium iodide tablet was developed using easily accessible excipients in the formulation and direct compression as the manufacturing method. The formula complied with the stability tests, with which the development carried out can respond to the eventual demand that its elaboration would entail in the event of nuclear incidents.

Conclusions: The developed formulation of a 65 mg double-scored potassium iodide tablet allows the great variability of user needs, from infants to adults with a single pharmaceutical form, which additionally implies logistical benefits in distribution, stock control and appropriate renewal according expiration dates, among the population surrounding nuclear power plants and available to deployed military personnel, in the event of potential nuclear incidents.

Keywords: Defence pharmacy centre; Direct compression; Double-scored tablet; Nuclear incidents; Potassium iodide.