Development of a novel ultra cryo-milling technique for a poorly water-soluble drug using dry ice beads and liquid nitrogen.

A novel ultra cryo-milling micronization technique has been established using dry ice beads and liquid nitrogen (LN2). Drug particles were co-suspended with dry ice beads in LN2 and ground by stirring. Dry ice beads were prepared by storing dry ice pellets in LN2. A poorly water-soluble drug, phenytoin, was micronized more efficiently using either dry ice beads or zirconia beads compared to jet milling. Dry ice beads retained their granular shape without pulverizing and sublimating in LN2 as the milling operation progressed. Longer milling times produced smaller-sized phenytoin particles. The agitation speed for milling was optimized. Analysis of the glass transition temperature revealed that phenytoin particles co-ground with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by dry ice milling were crystalline, whereas a planetary ball-milled mixtures process with zirconia beads contained the amorphous form. The dissolution rate of phenytoin milled with PVP using dry ice beads or zirconia beads was significantly improved compared to jet-milled phenytoin or the physical mixture. Dry ice beads together with LN2 were spontaneously sublimated at ambient condition after milling. Thus, the yield was significantly improved by dry ice beads compared to zirconia beads since the loss arisen from adhering to the surface of dry ice beads could be completely avoided, resulting in about 85-90% of recovery. In addition, compounds milled using dry ice beads are free from abraded contaminating material originating from the beads and internal vessel wall.