A study of micronized poloxamers as lubricants in direct compression of tablets.

The study evaluates the micronized poloxamers Lptrol micro127 (poloxamer 407) and Lptrol micro 68 (poloxamer 188) as lubricants in combination with the dry binders microcrystalline cellulose and spray-dried lactose. Magnesium stearate was employed as the comparative lubricant. The parameters under study included energy for friction, plasticity, ejection force, tensile strength of tablets, and disintegration time of tablets. The factors of influence were the concentration of lubricants, compression force, and mixing parameters. The lubricating effect of micronized poloxamers was smaller than that of magnesium stearate. Higher concentrations of poloxamers decreased the tensile strength of tablets from microcrystalline cellulose, shortened the disintegration time, and slightly prolonged the disintegration time in the case of spray-dried lactose. Parameters of mixing of dry binders with poloxamers influenced the tested parameters of compression more in the case of spray-dried lactose. In microcrystalline cellulose, they influenced more the tensile strength and disintegration time of tablets.