ABSTRACT

The administration of active compounds by the oral mucosa is an efficient method for the delivery of drugs and nutrients. This work aimed to develop and characterize orally disintegrating films (ODFs) based on starch and gelatin as carriers of vitamin C. The ODFs were produced using a casting technique by varying the concentrations of starch and gelatin (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 g of starch/100 g of polymer) and were characterized in relation to contact angle, opacity, surface pH, infrared spectroscopy, mechanical properties, morphology, and disintegration time (in vitro and in vivo). Additionally, the stability of vitamin C in the ODFs was evaluated by the incorporation of the dry extract of acerola (4 g/100 g of filmogenic solution). Generally, the ODFs presented hydrophilic characteristics with a neutral surface pH near the mouth, and films with higher starch concentrations showed greater rigidity. In vitro and in vivo tests indicated that ODFs may be classified as rapidly disintegrating. The ODFs produced with higher concentrations of starch showed a higher stability of the active compound, in addition to a shorter disintegration time. Starch- and gelatin-based ODFs can be considered a new system for administering active ingredients via the oral mucosa. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44841.

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