LC-20-ADI-042
High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Online dissolution of Metformin ER tablets
using Electrolab Veritas-08 with Shimadzu
Nexera FV
HPLC
Extended release (ER) or sustained release dosage forms are
designed to release a drug at predetermined rate in order to
maintain a constant drug concentration for a specific period
of time with minimum side effects. This can be achieved
through variety of formulations.
Due to modified dosage forms, dissolution study to assess
quality and absorption patterns must be checked over longer
durations. This means the dissolution tests are in these cases
generally run for more than 16 hours. Needless to say, this
presents both technical and administrative challenges.
Maintaining complete traceability and avoiding errors are big
tasks in hand for lab managers running ER dissolution assays.
Under these circumstances, it’s highly desired to have an
automated workflow starting from setting up of batch and
aliquoting till reporting.
Such a set-up will also enable operations without the need of
a chemist with complete reliability.
Most critical aspect and need of hour, irrespective of
formulation type is ensuring compliance. An automated set-
up with complete compliance is need of an hour so as to
ensure higher productivity and reduced errors with full
traceability.
KEYWORDS: Nexera FV, Veritas 8, online dissolution,
compliance, Metformin dissolution reports.
Shimadzu Nexera FV connected to Electrolab dissolution tester,
enables automation of the entire dissolution testing process. Since
complete workflow from dissolution to reporting is automated and
monitored through a single platform of LabSolutions software,
entire process has complete traceability and compliance.
Sequence of automatic sample aspiration with Nexera FV is as
follows:
1. Displace flow vial with sample
2. Aspirate sample from flow vials
3. Analyze directly or fractionate into vials
4. Generate report
liquid current
Figure 1: Schematic representation of Nexera FV online dissolution set-up
■ Method of analysis
Table 1: Dissolution and LC parameters
Dissolution parameters
Apparatus USP type II(Paddle)
Dissolution media Phosphate buffer pH 6.8
Media volume 1000 mL
Bath temperature 37 °C
Rotational speed 100 rpm
Time 720 min
Time points
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360, 480, 600 and
720 min
Key features
Compliance
▪ Direct sampling
▪ Audit trail and log for entire process-
dissolution test parameters to sample
processing and reporting
▪ Complete traceability of dissolution sample
▪ Direct reporting of dissolution result
High throughput
▪ Ideal even for profile with 5 min sampling
intervals
▪ Walk away operation and analysis
▪ Fast analysis by UHPLC
▪ Reduction of errors- sampling and sample
preparation error
Ease of use
▪ 3 stage online filtration
▪ Online dilution
▪ Quick reporting
▪ Retain samples in autosampler
■ Introduction
Nexera FV provides a means for not only directly sampling the
aliquots, but also dilution and HPLC analysis of the samples
during the entire test duration for ER tablets resulting in
completion of dissolution test and HPLC analysis simultaneously
without human intervention.
Complete process from dissolution to reporting is automated
and monitored through a single platform of LabSolutions
Software, thus maintaining compliance.
Present work demonstrates the applicability of the Veritas-08
and Nexera FV online dissolution-HPLC system by performing
automated dissolution analysis of metformin extended release
tablets 1000mg as per USP monograph.