Precipitation Reaction of SDS and Potassium Salts in Flocculation of a Micronized Megestrol Acetate Suspension

In this work attempts were made to evaluate K+-SDS and hydrocolloid polymer-SDS interactions in flocculation of megestrol acetate dispersions to enhance their stability as a part of suspension formulation. Different dispersions of micronized megestrol acetate and SDS were prepared. KCl and KH(2)PO(4) and their corresponding sodium salts were added to the dispersions and the preparations were evaluated using general physicochemical and stability tests including appearance, sedimentation volume, sedimentation rate and redispersibility. Addition of polyols and hydrocolloid polymers to the SDS containing dispersions was also investigated for possible instabilities. SDS deflocculated the initial megestrol acetate dispersions. The use of potassium salts unlike the sodium salts flocculated the dispersion particles due to precipitation reaction of potassium ions and the adsorbed SDS. Additionally the uncharged hydrocolloid polymers MC and HPMC in contrast to the ionic polymers xanthan gum and NaCMC showed incompatibility due to their interaction with SDS. K(+)- SDS interactions have proved useful in protein and DNA analysis studies and we found this precipitation reaction to be applicable in flocculation of pharmaceutical suspensions containing SDS.