Effect of soft beverages on the in vitro dissolution of gastro-resistant tablets containing low dose Acetylsalicylic acid

Abstract

The need for additional fluids for easy absorption is typical for elderly patients and those with dysphagia. Most often, these patients take their medication with a glass of orange juice or another liquid instead of a glass of water. We conducted a dissolution test with gastro-resistant tablets acetylsalicylic acid where different kind of orange juice or soft drink wеre added to the release medium. As a control, release medium - buffers 1.2, 4.5 and 6.8 were used. The released aspirin was determined after HPLC analysis. The obtained data were fitted to different kinetic models. The results of the dissolution test in medium buffers with added different beverage showed results similar to those obtained in pure buffer, where it is used an artificial sweetener and different, when sugar or glucose-fructose syrup was used to sweeten the beverage. The most significant change was observed in the release kinetics of the active substance.To exclude the possibility that the other beverage ingredients or excipients used to make the tablets affect the release profile of acetylsalicylic acid, we conducted a beverage-like dissolution test. Instead of a original beverage, we used water and sugar syrup, in a concentration that is declared on the label of the original beverages. The results obtained confirm that different sugar concentrations alter the release profile of acetylsalicylic acid from gastro resistant tablets when they are taken with a glass of sugar-containing beverage instead of a glass of water.