Affiliations: Department of Pharmacy, Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki Hospital, Higashidaimotsu-cho, Amagasaki, Japan | Faculty of Pharmacy, Musashino University, Shinmachi, Nishi-Tokyo, Japan | School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mukogawa Women's University, Koshien Kyuban-cho, Nishinomiya, Japan | Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan | Faculty of Pharmacy, Kinki University, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Japan
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Makoto Otsuka, PhD, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Musashino University, Shinmachi 1-1-20, Nishi-Tokyo 202-8585, Japan. Tel./Fax: +81 42 468 8658; E-mail: motsuka@musashino-u.ac.jp.
Abstract: Gabexate mesilate is a non-peptide protease inhibitor, developed in Japan, which is used in the treatment of acute pancreatitis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. This compound is readily hydrolyzed as it has ester bonds in its structure. It is now out of patent in Japan and there are many generic versions on the market. The crystal structure and the hydrolysate content of the branded product and nine generic versions were evaluated by X-ray diffractometry, thermal analysis and HPLC. The results showed that generic products containing mannitol as an additive had a higher content of hydrolysate as an impurity than the branded product or generic products formulated without mannitol, suggesting that the crystal structure might be altered and stability impaired in mannitol-containing drug products.
