By Dr. Megha Agrawal, Dr. Shyamasri Biswas, Dr.

Kim Van Vliet, Contributing Editors

Application of Vacuum Drying

in the Drug Processing and
Drug Delivery Systems

acuum drying technology involves the use of vacuum based

processes coupled with heat to
remove bulk and absorbed water or other
solvents from a product. It consists of a
vacuum chamber, a high-vacuum pump
as well as a source for providing heat to
the product to be dried. Vacuum drying
technique is routinely employed in drug
processing in the pharmaceutical industry.
Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of
the vacuum drying process [1]. In vacuum
heat drying, vacuum is introduced to heat
the air or inert gas through the product to
move solvent vapors out of the processor.
Subsequently, drying is accomplished
by passing the heated gas through the
product that helps remove solvents using

vacuum. The combination of condenser

systems and the appropriate high-vacuum
oil-free pumps results in excellent solvent
recovery that allows achieving a competitive drying rate [1].
For high-quality drug processing, specially designed vacuum chamber is configured to provide convection heating
as well as creating high-vacuum in the
chamber. Advances in such high-tech
vacuum chambers are believed to benefit
global pharmaceutical sector in a major
way to process various tablets. One example is the preparation of mouth-dissolving
tablets (MDT), which is heavily based on
vacuum-drying techniques. MDTs are
considered innovative drug delivery systems that are fast dissolving tablets. Such

drug delivery systems are a strategic tool

for expanding markets, extending product life cycles and generating opportunities for bio scientists and engineers in the
pharmaceutical industry.
Oral administration is formulated in
most pharmaceutical forms that allow
direct ingestion for chewing or for prior
dispersion and/or dissolution in water.
Also, sublingual or buccal tablets allow direct absorption in mouth. Mouth
dissolving tablets are considered more
suitable for elderly individuals that have
difficulty in swallowing when prescribed
in conventional tablet or capsule form [2,
3]. Further, in pediatrics, psychiatric as
well as for traveling patients that do not
have ready access to water, the problem

Figure 1. A schematic illustration of vacuum-drying process (Source: Parikh D.M. 2015).

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August 2015 Vacuum Technology & Coating

of swallowing is critical. The rapidly disintegrating tablet in mouth or orally dispersible tablets are advantageous because
they overcome all of the above problems
and thus offer a more viable alternate of
oral medication, which provides patients
with a more convenient means of taking
their medication without any difficulty
(Figure 2).
Vacuum-drying techniques allow
preparation of such mouth dissolving
tablets that are processed through the wet
granulation stage, which is a central unit
operation in the drug processing industry,
where vacuum drying plays a central role
in bringing the final product flawless [3].
Researchers prepared mouth-dissolving
tablets that were formulated from granules containing Nimesulide, camphor,
crospovidone and lactose. Vacuum drying
was applied during the granulation stage
and it was found that the subsequently formed tablets were of higher quality
than those where the vacuum was applied
to the already compressed tablets. The
vacuum-drying technique was therefore
considered to be an effective alternative
approach compared with the use of more
expensive adjuvants in the formulation of
mouth-dissolving tablets [2].
In a related work on fast dissolving
tablets, Baclofen was prepared using vacuum drying technique. Baclofen is struc-

tural analog of gamma aminobutyric acid,

which is a centrally acting skeletal muscle
relaxant, and is widely used in the treatment of spasticity resulting from multiple
sclerosis, muscle spasms, muscular rigidity and spinal cord injuries, where pain
persist predominantly. The quick onset
of action in such cases is of prime importance [3]. Researchers demonstrated the
application of vacuum drying for effective
production of such fast dissolving tablets
[3].
In another work, fast dissolving granisetron hydrochloride (GHCl) was prepared by vacuum drying technique using
camphor as subliming agent together with
croscarmellose sodium (CCS), crospovidone (CP), sodium starch glycolate
(SSG) and plantago ovate (PO) as super
disintegrants [5]. Granisetron hydrochloride (Fig.1) is chemically endo-1-methyl-N- (9-methyl-9- azabicyclo [3.3.1]
non-3-yl)-H-indazole-3-carboxamide
hydrochloride, a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, which may have beneficial therapeutic effects in the treatment
of vomiting and nausea resulting from
cancer therapy [5]. Effective preparation
of mouth dissolving tablets of GHCl is
therefore of significant value and vacuum
drying technique has been demonstrated
by the researchers to prepare GHCl [5].
In a related work, promethazine theoclate

fast dissolving tablets were prepared by

vacuum drying method that offers a suitable approach for the treatment and management of nausea and vomiting [6].
Lornoxicam,(2-[2-[2-(2,6
dichlorophenyl) aminophenyl] acetyl] oxyacetic
acid), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory,
analgesic and antipyretic drug routlinely
used in rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic pain, masculo-skeletal and joint
disorders [6]. Mouth dissolving tablets
of lornoxicam were prepared by vacuum drying method and the researchers
demonstrated potentials for rapid absorption, improved bioavailability, effective
therapy and patient compliance [7]. Vacuum drying method has been extended to
prepare other important drugs and mouth
dissolving drug delivery systems. Carvedilol is a non-selective beta-blocker that
is prescribed in the treatment of mild to
moderate congestive heart failure. Researchers showed effective processing of
carvedilol by vacuum drying and obtained
superior bioactivity suitable for practical
applications [7].
A microwave assisted vacuum drying
process was applied to generate granulated pharmaceutical drug hydrochlorthiazide. The researchers demonstrated
superior performance of the resulting hydrochlorthiazide mouth dissolving tables
prepared by this method [8].

Figure 2. Advantages of mouth dissolving tablets (MDT).

Vacuum Technology & Coating August 2015 www.vactechmag.com or www.vtcmag.com 

Concluding Remarks
Vacuum drying has proven to be an indispensable method for the preparation of
mouth dissolving drugs. Several medically and clinically important fast dissolving
drugs have been prepared by vacuum drying. The future of vacuum drying process
appears to be bright with more new applications that are anticipated. However,
more R&D needs to be done on the further optimization of the process.
References for Further Reading
1. Parikh D.M., Vacuum drying: basics and
application, Chemical engineering, 2015.
2.Gohel M., Patel M., Amin A., Agrawal R.,
Dave R., Bariya N. Formulation Design
and Optimization of Mouth Dissolve Tablets of Nimesulide Using Vacuum Drying
Technique, AAPS PharmSciTech 2004; 5
(3) e36.
3.
Venkatesh K., Shravani B., Kumar G.V.,
Rao N.G.R. Formulation and evaluation
baclofen fast dissolving tablets by vacuum
drying technique, Indo American Journal
of Pharmaceutical Research, 2013; 3 (5):
3721-3733.
4.
Kaur T., Gill B., Kumar S., Gupta G.D.
Mouth Dissolving Tablets: A novel approach to drug delivery, International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Research,
2011; 3 (1):1-7.
5.Patil B. S and Rao N.G.R. Formulation and
evaluation of fast dissolving tablets of Granisetron hydrochloride by vacuum drying
technique, Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science 2011; 01 (04): 83-88.
6.
Sharma S and Gupta G.D. Development
and optimization of fast-dissolving tablets
of Promethazine Theoclate using vacuum
drying technology by 3-factor, Der Pharmacia Lettre, 2010; 2(6):124-135.
7.Metker V., Kumar A., Pathak N., Padhee
K., Sahoo S. Formulation And Evaluation
Of Orodispersible Tablets Of Lornoxicam,
International Journal of Drug Development
& Research, 2011; 3 (1): 281-285.
8.
Berteli M.N., Marsaioli A.J., Rodier E.
Study of a microwave assisted vacuum
drying process applied to the granulated
pharmaceutical drug hydrochlorthiazide, J
Microw Power Electromagn Energy. 2007;
40 (4):241-50.

vtcmag@vtcmag.com 

August 2015 Vacuum Technology & Coating