Effect of Cetyl Alcohol on the Physical Properties of the Suppository Base

Marie Musilová (musilova@faf.cuni.cz), Jana Černá

Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

Summary

Determination of the content of solid phases, measurements of the time of deformation and resistance to rupture of suppositories were employed to evaluate the effect of cetyl alcohol on the properties of the suppository base Adeps neutralis.

It has been found that cetyl alcohol can be used to correct the properties of the suppository base Adeps neutralis only in concentrations ranging in a narrow zone around 30 % of the substance in a mixture. Lower concentrations exerted negative effects. The values of parameters under study in these samples were lower than in the base alone. Higher values than Adeps neutralis were found in samples containing more than 30 % of cetyl alcohol. Suppositories with a cetyl alcohol content higher than 40 %, however, were not deformed at body temperature.