Effects of amorphous silicon dioxides on drug dissolution.

The dissolution profiles of prednisone, digoxin, and griseofulvin in simulated GI fluids were determined after solvent deposition or ball milling with three commercially available grades of amorphous silicon dioxide. The former procedure resulted in adsorbates showing evidence of drug entrapment by the two grades with larger average pore diameters. Ball milling the drugs with the grade possessing the largest average particle diameter produced triturations with the slowest dissolution rates. A relationship between drug dissolution and extent of dilution with the amorphous silicon dioxides was shown. Particle-size measurements revealed that the ball milling procedure was more apt to broaden the size distribution as compared with the solvent-deposition method of drug incorporation.