Instability of digoxin in digoxin-amorphous silicon dioxide triturates prepared by solvent deposition and ball milling.

Digoxin underwent hydrolytic degradation to its molecular components when solvent deposited on or ball milled with various commercial grades of amorphous silicon dioxide. The degradation was greater during ball milling than after solvent deposition, and increased with a longer ball milling. By itself digoxin was also degraded by ball milling, but not as much as when a silicon dioxide was present. The extent of the degradation appeared to depend on the acidity, surface area and pore size of the silicon dioxide used. A similar degradative behavior was observed for the related glycoside digitoxin.