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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Author / Affiliation / Email Article Menu Font Type: Arial Georgia Verdana Open AccessArticle by Ratchapoom Wattanawiggan 1, Sunee Chansakaow 1, Pensak Jantrawut 1, Pattaraporn Panraksa 1, Jutamas Jiaranaikulwanitch 1, Suruk Udomsom 2, Patnarin Worajittiphon 3 and Pratchaya Tipduangta 1,* 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand 2 Biomedical Engineering Institute, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand 3 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Submission received: 26 July 2024 / Revised: 14 August 2024 / Accepted: 15 August 2024 / Published: 18 August 2024 Abstract: Erectile dysfunction (ED) refers to the inability of the penis to maintain a firm erection during sexual activity. Mucuna, or M. pruriens, contains levodopa, a compound showing promise in ED treatment. However, formulating Mucuna extract into tablet dosage forms is challenging due to its semisolid nature. This study aimed to develop sustained-release tablets containing Mucuna extract via semisolid extrusion 3D printing. Eudragit RS PO (Eudragit) served as a sustained-release polymer, with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a co-polymer for forming the tablet matrices. This study had the following two main phases: screening, which identified the factors affecting the printability, and optimization, which focused on the factors influencing the levodopa release and its consistency. The results showed that both the polymeric solid percentage content (PSPC) in the semisolid slurry and the Eudragit-PVA ratio significantly affected the printability. All of the formulations were printable, and the PSPC and Eudragit-PVA ratios were incorporated into the optimized model. The desired formulation, achieving targeted levodopa release and consistency, had a PSPC of 58.8% and a Eudragit-PVA ratio of 2.87:1. In conclusion, semisolid extrusion 3D printing guided by the design of experiments (DoE) proved feasible for producing reliable 3D-printed tablets with consistent active ingredients and desired release rates. 1. IntroductionErectile dysfunction (ED) denotes a medical condition characterized by the inability of males to attain a complete erection during sexual activity. An estimated 150 million men are affected by ED, with a projected increase to 322 million by the year 2025 [1]. The mechanism of achieving an erection is intricate, involving neural signals triggering the dilation of blood vessels in the penile region, facilitating blood influx and subsequent erection. Disruptions in this intricate process can culminate in ED, stemming from various physical or psychological triggers [2]. Treatment usually begins with lifestyle adjustments and may include phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil, and avanafil. These medications assist in achieving erections by inhibiting the enzyme PDE5 and boosting nitric oxide (NO) production [3,4].There is an increasing interest in the utilization of natural substances for the management of
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