The application of microwaves to pharmaceutical formulation

Pharmaceutical formulation methods often require a heating stage. An interesting alternative to conventional methods is controlled microwave heating, which offers a range of benefits including improved drug encapsulation. The potential of this method was investigated using ibuprofen (a wellcharacterised drug) formulated with cyclodextrin (b-CD) and polyvinylpirrolidone (PVP). The excipients were selected to allow comparison with the work of other researchers.
The resultant formulations were characterised using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and drug dissolution analysis.