Reading Assignment on Chapter 5 (Solubility, Dissolution and Partitioning)

Assignment no. ___

Part II: Dissolution and Partitioning

1. Define Dissolution.
- Chemical dissolution is when a solute contacts a solvent and forms a solution by
dissolving. Dissolution is the reverse of the precipitation process, and the two processes
form a dynamic equilibrium.
2. Give the basis of the dissolution of particles in:
A) Diffusion Layer Model
- Is the simplest model where dissolution of crustal, immersed in liquid takes place without
involving reactive or electrical forces.
It consists of two consecutive steps:
1. Solution of the solid to form stagnant film or diffusive layer which is saturated with the
drug.
2. Diffusion of the soluble solute from the stagnant layer to the bulk of the solution; this is
the rate determining step in drug dissolution.
B) Noyes-Whitney Relationship
- assumes that the surface area of the dissolving solid remains constant which is practically
impossible for dissolving solids

dC/dt = DAKw/o (Cs-Cb) / vh

C) Hixson-Crowell Cube-root Relationship

- this relationship can be used to describe drug dissolution from several types of modified
release pharmaceutical dosage forms, as in the case of some transdermal systems and matrix
tablets with water soluble drugs.
- Drug powder that having uniformed size particles, Hixson and Crowell derived the equation
which expresses rate of dissolution based on cube root of weight of particles and the radius of
the particle is not assumed to be constant.

Mo1/3 – Mt1/3 = K t

3. Give the importance of dissolution study.

- Dissolution testing provides the means to evaluate critical parameters such as adequate
bioavailability and provides information necessary to formulator in development of more
efficacious and therapeutically optimal dosage forms
4. Discuss the factors affecting drug dissolution.
Factors Effect on dissolution rate
1. Physicochemical Properties of the drug
Ionized vs. non-ionized forms
Particle size
Crystalline state
2. Formulation Factors
Solid dosage form
Suspension and emulsion
Semisolid Dosage Forms
3. Physiologic Factors
Gastric emptying time and
Intestinal Transit Times
Variability of pH Weak acids, dissoln rate increases with
increase in pH whereas for weak

bases, increase with decrease in pH.

5. State the general partition law.

6. Define partition coefficient
7. Give the Partitioning orientation of the following solutes.
A) Strong electrolytes
B) Non-electrolytes
C) Weak electrolytes