Simvastatin Tablet Stability via Dual Antioxidant Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pharmaceutical compositions of statins for oral administration face challenges with oxidative degradation, leading to instability and high excipient content, which increases manufacturing costs, side effects, and reduces active ingredient concentration, solubility, and patient compliance.

Innovation Solution

A pharmaceutical composition comprising 20% simvastatin, 0.04% butylated hydroxyanisole, 1.4% citric acid, 20% starch, 25% lactose monohydrate, 30.7% microcrystalline cellulose, and 0.9% magnesium stearate, formulated as a pressed tablet with a film coating, utilizing a single antioxidant to enhance stability and bioavailability while minimizing excipients and side effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple antioxidants and excipients are added to stabilize statin, then oxidative degradation is reduced, but the weight and volume of the dosage form increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidweight of dosage form
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates redundant excipients from the formulation. By removing unnecessary components while retaining only the essential antioxidants (butylhydroxyanisole and citric acid) needed for stability, the dosage form achieves adequate protection against oxidative degradation without the excess weight and volume caused by multiple excipients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentrations of antioxidants to achieve effective stability protection at minimal levels. By precisely controlling the amounts of butylhydroxyanisole and citric acid, the formulation achieves sufficient stabilization while minimizing the weight contribution from these additives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple antioxidants and excipients are added to stabilize statin, then oxidative degradation is reduced, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates redundant excipients from the formulation, directly reducing material costs and simplifying the manufacturing process. By using only the necessary antioxidants (butylhydroxyanisole and citric acid) rather than multiple stabilizing agents, the formulation reduces both raw material expenses and processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes antioxidant concentrations to achieve effective stability at minimal dosages, reducing material costs while maintaining protection against oxidative degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If multiple antioxidants and excipients are added to stabilize statin, then oxidative degradation is reduced, but the concentration of active ingredient decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidconcentration of active ingredient
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes redundant excipients from the formulation, thereby increasing the proportion of active ingredient (simvastatin) relative to the total formulation weight. By retaining only the essential antioxidants needed for stability, the active ingredient concentration is maximized without compromising protection against oxidative degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If multiple antioxidants and excipients are added to stabilize statin, then oxidative degradation is reduced, but the dissolution rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoiddissolution rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates redundant excipients that could interfere with the dissolution process. By using a minimal set of antioxidants (butylhydroxyanisole and citric acid) rather than multiple stabilizing agents, the formulation maintains better dissolution characteristics while still providing adequate protection against oxidative degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition achieves significant stability and bioavailability of simvastatin with a high active ingredient proportion, reduced side effects, and lower manufacturing costs, enhancing patient compliance through a reduced dosage form size and weight, maintaining or exceeding the stability and solubility of known formulations.

Implementation Method 1

statins are considered unstable from a pharmaceutical perspective and are particularly susceptible to oxidative degradation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentEP2753309B1Pharmaceutical compound for oral administration with a statin
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 HEXAL AG
  • EP2753309B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2753309B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2753309B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for oral administration comprising or consisting of (i) 10 to 30 % weight, of at least one pharmaceutically active substance selected from the group consisting of water-soluble, oxidatively-degradable statins, preferably atorvastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, pitavastatin, pravastatin, rosuvastatin, simvastatin or a combination thereof,(ii) 0.01 to 3 % weight, of a first anti-oxidatively active substance (A1), (iii) 0.01 to 3 % weight, of a second anti-oxidatively active substance (A2) that differs from the first anti-oxidatively active substance (A1), and (iv) 60 to 85 % weight of at least one additive, selected from the group consisting of filler, binder, flow- regulating agent, disintegrant and anti-blocking agent or a combination thereof, and the use of the pharmaceutical composition in medicine.