SURFACE TENSION IMPACT ON PHARMACEUTICALS

Abstract:

A liquid's capacity to fend off pressures that would otherwise tend to expand its surface area is referred to as surface
tension. Surface tension is incredibly important in the pharmaceutical industry for the formulation, production, and
administration of many different medications. It has an impact on the stability, solubility, and behavior of fluids, as
well as on how they spread and moisten. The way that medications interact with biological membranes and are
absorbed through the skin are both influenced by surface tension to ensure the most effective drug distribution, it is
crucial to comprehend the surface tension of pharmaceuticals.
Drug delivery systems including micro and Nano emulsions, liposomes, and microspheres, which take advantage of
the surface tension features of the drug molecules, are designed using surface tension in the field of pharmaceuticals.

Introduction:

Surface tension is a fundamental property of liquid interfaces, defined as the energy required increasing the surface
area of a liquid by a unit amount. As stated by Rabello et al. (2015), "Surface tension is the result of the cohesive
forces between the molecules at the surface of the liquid and is related to the magnitude of these forces and the
distance over which they act." In the pharmaceutical industry, surface tension plays a critical role in drug
formulation and delivery, affecting properties such as wetting, spreading, and solubility. In pharmaceuticals, surface
tension is defined as the force acting per unit length along the interface between two immiscible liquids, or between
a liquid and a gas. The surface tension of a liquid is a measure of the energy required to increase the surface area of
the liquid by a unit amount. The concept of surface tension is closely related to interfacial tension, which is the force
acting per unit length along the interface between two phases of matter, such as a liquid and a solid.

Is Surface tension a CMC standard?

Surface tension is a physical property of liquids that describes the cohesive forces between molecules at the surface
of a liquid. In manufacturing, surface tension can be an important control standard in chemistry because it affects
the behavior of liquids during processing and can impact the quality of the final product.
For example, in the production of coatings, surface tension can affect the ability of the coating to spread evenly over
a surface. If the surface tension is too high, the coating may bead up or have uneven coverage. Conversely, if the
surface tension is too low, the coating may have poor adhesion or may not dry properly.
To ensure consistent product quality, manufacturers may use surface tension as a control standard in their
manufacturing processes. This may involve measuring the surface tension of raw materials before they are used in
production, as well as monitoring the surface tension of the finished product to ensure it meets specifications.
In addition, manufacturers may use additives or processing techniques to adjust the surface tension of a liquid to
optimize its behavior during processing. For example, surfactants or other surface-active agents may be added to
reduce surface tension, or specialized mixing techniques may be used to promote homogenization of the liquid.
The importance of surface tension in pharmaceuticals lies in its effect on the stability and efficacy of liquid
formulations. For example, a low surface tension can lead to poor wetting of solid surfaces, which can result in
incomplete mixing and uneven distribution of drugs. On the other hand, a high surface tension can cause problems
with emulsification and the formation of stable suspensions.

In terms of applications, surface tension plays a critical role in the design and optimization of liquid pharmaceutical
formulations. By understanding and controlling surface tension, pharmaceutical scientists can develop formulations
that are more stable, have improved bioavailability, and exhibit better solubility and wetting properties.
Additionally, surface tension is used in a variety of analytical techniques, such as contact angle measurements, to
study the properties of pharmaceuticals and other materials.

Moreover, there are main Key Concepts that relates to surface tension stated as follows:

1. Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids that are not able to mix together easily. But thanks to an emulsifier, the two
liquids can be combined and stay together on the surface. This helps to create smaller droplets that can be more
easily spread through the liquid, and it also affects the properties and effectiveness of the final pharmaceutical
product.

2. Surface tension affects how easily a liquid spreads and wet a solid surface. This is important in pharmaceutical
formulations, where drugs may need to dissolve or diffuse across a solid surface. For example, surface tension can
affect the dissolution rate of a tablet or the ability of a topical cream to spread evenly over the skin.

3. The contact angle between a liquid and a solid surface is also affected by surface tension. This is important for
understanding the interaction between drugs and their delivery vehicles or the surfaces of medical devices. If the
contact angle is too high, the drug may not adhere properly to the surface and its effectiveness may be reduced.

4. Microfluidics is a technology that is used in pharmaceutical research and development. It involves the
manipulation of tiny volumes of fluids in microchannel. Surface tension is a critical factor in microfluidics, as it
determines the behavior of fluids at small scales and can be used to control the movement and mixing of liquids.
This can be used in drug delivery, drug screening, and other applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

5. Foam: Surface tension also plays an important role in foam formation and stability, which is important in a
variety of pharmaceutical applications, including the manufacture of inhalants and foaming detergents. The surface
tension between the gas bubbles and the liquid phase affects the size and stability of the foam bubbles, which in turn
affects the properties of the final product.

With those concepts in check how does Surface tension affect the pharmaceuticals in several ways. Some of its
significant applications are:

1. Formulation of Medicines: Surface tension is crucial in the formulation of medicines, particularly for liquids
and semi-solids. It helps in creating stable suspensions, emulsions, and foams, which are critical for the
delivery of pharmaceuticals through different routes of administration. Surface tension helps in maintaining
the stability of the formulation by preventing the separation of different components.
2. Drug Solubility: The surface tension of the solvent affects the solubility of the drug. Lower surface tension
leads to increased drug solubility, and this can be utilized to enhance the bioavailability of poorly soluble
drugs. Pharmaceutical scientists use various techniques such as surfactant addition or micro emulsion
formation to reduce surface tension and improve drug solubility.
3. Manufacturing Processes: Surface tension plays a vital role in several manufacturing processes in the
pharmaceutical industry. For example, during tablet coating, surface tension helps in achieving uniform
coating of the tablet surface. Similarly, surface tension is critical in the formation of granules, which are used
as intermediates in the manufacturing of tablets.
 4. Bio adhesion: Surface tension is an essential factor in the bio-adhesion of drug delivery systems. In oral drug
delivery, the muco-adhesive forces of the delivery system depend on the interfacial tension between the
delivery system and the mucosal tissue. Lowering the interfacial tension increases the contact area between
the two surfaces, leading to improved bio-adhesion and enhanced drug delivery.

Several factors influence surface tension, including temperature, pressure, and the presence of additives. According
to Li et al. (2019), "Surface tension decreases with an increase in temperature and decreases with a decrease in
pressure." Additives, such as surfactants, can also impact surface tension by reducing the interfacial tension between
liquids and solids. The insight gained from understanding these factors can aid in the development of more effective
drug delivery systems and formulations.

There are several factors that can affect surface tension in pharmaceutical products, including:
1. Temperature: Generally, surface tension decreases with increasing temperature. This is because higher
temperatures increase the thermal energy of the liquid molecules, making them more mobile and less
cohesive.
2. pH: The pH of a solution can affect the ionization state of the molecules in the solution, which in turn can
affect the surface tension. For example, increasing the pH of a solution can cause certain molecules to ionize
and become more polar, which can increase the surface tension.
3. Solutes: The presence of solutes, such as salts or surfactants, can affect the surface tension of a solution. For
example, adding a surfactant can lower the surface tension by disrupting the intermolecular forces at the
surface of the liquid.
4. Concentration: The concentration of the solutes can also affect the surface tension. Generally, adding more
solutes can lower the surface tension, up to a certain point where the solutes start to aggregate and form
micelles, which can increase the surface tension.
5. Type of solvent: The type of solvent used in a pharmaceutical product can affect the surface tension. For
example, polar solvents such as water typically have higher surface tension than nonpolar solvents such as
oils.

The ability to manipulate surface tension can improve drug solubility, bioavailability, and stability. As stated by
Chen et al. (2019), "Surface tension plays a crucial role in the stability of colloidal systems, and understanding its
effects can help in the development of stable and effective drug formulations."

There are many pharmaceutical products that rely on surface tension, including:
1. Eye drops: Surface tension is crucial in eye drops as it allows the liquid to cling to the surface of the eye and
provide relief to dry and irritated eyes.
2. Inhalers: Surface tension plays a vital role in inhalers, as it helps to break up the liquid medication into tiny
droplets that can be easily inhaled into the lungs.
3. Liquid suspensions: Surface tension is also important in liquid suspensions, as it helps to keep the
medication particles uniformly dispersed in the liquid.
4. Emulsions: Emulsions are a mixture of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. Surface tension helps
to stabilize the emulsion by preventing the liquids from separating.
5. Foams: Some pharmaceutical products are formulated as foams, such as topical creams and ointments.
Surface tension helps to create the foam and keep it stable.

In conclusion, surface tension is a critical factor in the pharmaceutical sciences. Its impact can be observed in drug
formulation, drug delivery, and drug manufacturing. Understanding and controlling surface tension is essential for
optimizing drug efficacy and ensuring high-quality pharmaceutical products and it is a vital property in
pharmaceutical sciences that affects drug formulation, delivery, and stability. Understanding the factors influencing
surface tension and its applications can lead to the development of more effective drug formulations and delivery
systems, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Peer Review pf fellow group:
“Overall great paper, discusses all key points and provides sufficient examples. However there are new concepts
discussed throughout such as wetting, could be helpful if a brief definition was given. Abstract and intro sound
almost repetitive. At the very start of the research various definitions of surface tension are given which could be
confusing so maybe a change of word choice or connecting words that relates all definitions.
The concept segment has examples that are repetitive in the applications so just summarize the repeated ones if you
like so it's more straight forward.
All in all very organized and clear ideas, however, there are no in text citations”

Feedback:
The Peer review of the fellow group was a life improver of the literature survey to its quality and a pointer to text
citations point and with the whole repeating of the main points.

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