Capsugel Illustrates Delayed Release with HPMC Capsules

Ingredient suppliers often tout the delayed released of ingredients with special coatings, but softgels and capsules provider Capsugel (Morristown, NJ) has actual proof with its delayed release capsules.

In a newly completed scintigraphic study, researchers tracked the in vivo release of ingredients contained within Capsugel DRcaps capsules. By radiolabeling the active ingredients, they could detect precisely when the ingredients were released from the capsules. Bypassing early activation of human stomach acids, the capsules began to release their ingredients at a mean time of 52 minutes after ingestion, with complete release recorded at a mean 72 minutes. “That is 45 minutes later than an immediate-release capsule, and [it] means that the contents of the capsules would often be released in the intestines-where probiotics and enzyme ingredients are most effective,” says Keith Hutchison, PhD, vice president of R&D at Capsugel.

DRcaps are vegetarian capsules made from acid-resistant hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Their ability to slow the release of active ingredients is attributed to what the company calls their “unique polymer properties,” which slow the capsule’s opening without the help of chemical solvents.