Fine granules showing sustained drug release prepared by high-shear melt granulation using triglycerin full behenate and milled microcrystalline cellulose.

This study aimed to prepare fine granules with a diameter less than 200μm and sustained drug release properties by melt granulation. Triglycerin full behenate (TR-FB) was examined as a new meltable binder (MB) by comparison of its properties with those of glycerin monostearate (GM), widely used as MB. The effect of milling microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), an excipient for melt granulation, on the granule properties was also investigated. TR-FB was more stable during heating and storage than GM, and produced smaller granules with narrower particle size distribution, larger yield in the 106-200μm range, uniform roundness and better sustained drug release profile than those prepared with GM. Granules prepared with milled MCC had almost the same physicochemical properties as those produced with intact MCC. However, milled MCC produced granules with a more rigid structure and smaller void space than intact MCC. Consequently, the granules produced with milled MCC showed better sustained drug release behavior than those prepared with intact MCC. We successfully prepared fine granules with sustained drug release properties and diameter of less than 200μm using TR-FB and milled MCC.