The Use of Precirol® to Prepare Sustained Release Tablets of Theophylline and Quinidine Gluconate

Tablets were made using theophylline, lactose and Precirol by a granulation technique, resulting in more than 12 hours release. Granulation and hot fusion methods were used to prepare admixtures of quinidine gluconate and Precirol at different ratios of Precirol: drug, 1:9, 3:7 and 1:1. Dissolution studies in 0.1N HCl showed drastic differences in the release of quinidine gluconate from tablets made by the two different methods; granulation method gave a faster release while the hot fusion method gave slower and incomplete release at higher Precirol content. The release rate decreases with higher Precirol content.