Differential thermal, solubility, and aging studies on various sources of digoxin and digitoxin powder: biopharmaceutical implications

Abstract

Unlike most organic compounds, both digoxin and digitoxin melted over a wide temperature range, with the widest range being 88 and 33 degrees for both compounds, respectively. Furthermore, the melting ranges varied markedly among several untriturated powders obtained from commercial sources and after recrystallization. Trituration produced dramatically sharper and generally lower melting temperatures. Apparent equilibrium solubility also varied considerably among different untriturated compounds. Correlation between solubility and final melting temperature was found. Results from dynamic solubility studies were used to explain the failure of trituration to enhance the apparent equilibrium solubility in certain samples. Storage at room temperature increased the melting points and decreased aqueous solubilities. Several reasons such as the presence of polymorphic and amorphous forms, crystal defects, impurities, and solvate formation were postulated to explain the findings. In a preliminary study, the in vitro dissolution rates of two commercial tablet products stored at elevated temperatures for 4-8 weeks progressively decreased. Biopharmaceutical implications and areas for further studies are discussed.