Optimization of Ascorbic Acid Tablet Formulations Containing Hydrophilic Polymers

The aim of this study was to identify the most significant factors in the formulation of ascorbic acid tablets with hydrophilic polymers used as stabilizers against oxidative degradation. The study involved the use of a factorial experimental design with the use of regression analysis to derive equations in order to predict the optimum parameters in terms of tensile strength and release properties for the formulations. The results have shown that pharmaceutical characteristics of ascorbic acid tablets are significantly affected by the polymer type and polymer concentration. The study also showed that ascorbic acid tablets with good mechanical, release and stability profiles could be obtained using hydrophilic polymers. The study showed that with factorial experimental design and regression analysis, it is possible to derive regression equations and contour plots that allow the ranking of each variable according to its significance on the responses studied and hence with reduced time and experimental effort, it may be possible to predict if formulation composition will produce the desired response. Rezumat Scopul prezentului studiu a fost identificarea factorilor semnificativi pentru formularea optimă a comprimatelor cu acid ascorbic, utilizând polimeri hidrofili ca agenţi protectori împotriva degradării oxidative. În acest sens s-a utilizat un model experimental factorial bazat pe metoda regresiei, în scopul optimizării proprietăţilor de cedare a substanţelor active din comprimate.