Fabrication of a Controlled-Release Core-Shell Floating Tablet of Ketamine Hydrochloride Using a 3D Printing Technique for Management of Refractory Depressions and Chronic Pain.
Polymers March 8, 2024 Tahmineh Karami, Emad Ghobadi, Mohammad Akrami et al. 13 citations
A floating, controlled-release oral tablet of ketamine hydrochloride was produced using dual-extrusion 3D printing. The tablet shell was fabricated by hot-melt extrusion at 150–160 °C, while the drug-containing gel was extruded at room temperature inside the shell. The optimized tablet achieved total drug release over 12 hours, met United States Pharmacopeia standards for weight variation and content uniformity, and showed no chemical interference or change in drug crystallinity. The method enables patient-tailored dosing with tunable release kinetics, offering a promising approach for managing refractory depression and chronic pain in a point-of-care setting.