Solid dispersion of pharmaceutical ternary systems I: Phase diagram of aspirin-acetaminophen-urea system.

The phase diagram of an aspirin-acetaminophen-urea system was constructed. The data obtained by the thermomicroscopic method showed that the binary systems of aspirin-acetaminophen, aspirin-urea, and acetaminophen-urea are simple eutectic mixtures with negligible formation of solid solutions or molecular compounds. The equilateral triangular phase diagram of the ternary system revealed that it forms, upon solidification, solid dispersions of the mechanical mixture type. The ternary eutectic corresponded to a composition of 60% aspirin, 20% acetaminophen, and 20% urea at 72 degrees. The method of calculating the composition finally solidified melts, lying within any area of the phase diagram, is presented. Use of the phase diagram in selecting the optimum ratio of components to enhance dissolution rates of these drugs may be possible.