Abstract The present work reports the implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) methodology to analyze the water purification system of a pharmaceutical site, in order to assure the system quality and prevent failures. As a matter of fact, the use of HACCP for development and implementation of Quality Risk Management (QRM) is not usual in pharmaceutical plants and it is applied here to improve the performance of the water purification system of a polymerization pilot plant used to manufacture pharmaceutical grade polymer microparticles. Critical Control Points (CCP) were determined with the aid of a decision tree and questions were made to characterize whether identified hazards constitute actual CCPs and should be monitored. When deviations were detected, corrective actions were performed and action plans were used for following-up and implementation of corrective actions. Finally, microbiological and physicochemical parameters were analyzed and the obtained results were regarded as appropriate. Therefore, it is shown that HACCP constitutes an effective tool for identification of hazards, establishment of corrective actions and monitoring of the critical control points that impact the process and the quality of the final pharmaceutical product most significantly.

<p>O trabalho reporta o desenvolvimento, caracterização e estudo <italic>in vitro</italic> de dissolução de suspensões de sulfassalazina para uso em doenças inflamatórias crônicas intestinais. Desenvolveram-se três formulações baseadas em fornecedores diferentes de pó de sulfassalazina. A sulfassalazina foi caracterizada quanto a Teor, Infravermelho por Transformada de Fourier (FTIR), Calorimetria Diferencial de Varredura (DSC), Difração de Raios-X (XRD), distribuição de tamanho das partículas, índice de polidispersão e solubilidade. A suspensão foi desenvolvida e caracterizada quanto a pH, viscosidade, densidade, tamanho de partícula, volume de sedimentação, teor e estudo de dissolução. Os valores de pH determinados foram levemente ácidos. O método de preparo das suspensões reduziu o tamanho das partículas e tornou a distribuição de tamanho mais homogênea. Os estudos de dissolução mostraram que a suspensão de sulfassalazina tem problemas de solubilidade em meios de caráter ácido, entretanto, sofre dissolução rápida acima de 85% em meios neutros ou contendo 0,5% de tensoativos como Polissobato 80. Além disso, as suspensões de sulfassalazina foram classificadas como formulações de dissolução imediata porque a partir de 20 minutos sofrem dissolução em torno de 100%.</p>

<p>This paper reports the development, characterization and <italic>in vitro</italic>dissolution behavior of sulfasalazine suspensions for treatment of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases. Three formulations were developed, from powdered sulfasalazine obtained from different suppliers. The sulfasalazine was characterized regarding concentration, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), particle size distribution, polydispersion and solubility. The suspensions were developed and characterized regarding pH, viscosity, density, particle size, sedimentation volume, concentration and dissolution. The pH values were slightly acidic. The method of preparing the suspensions reduced the particle sizes and made the size distribution more homogeneous. The dissolution studies showed that the sulfasalazine suspensions had low solubility in acidic media, but dissolve quickly, reaching levels of 85%, in neutral media or media containing 0.5% of surfactants such as polysorbate 80. Besides this, the sulfasalazine suspensions were classified as having immediate dissolution because they reached dissolution levels near 100% in 20 minutes.</p>

Sulfasalazine is a prodrug used in the treatment of the Chron's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Two analytical methods for analysis of sulfasalazine in oral suspension were validated using Spectrophotometric and HPLC. There is not any pharmacopoeic method to assay sulfasalazine in oral suspension. The methods are insurance and fast execution for the quality control. Both, suspension and tablets 500 mg (Azulfin®) had been analyzed by methods using UV/VIS and HPLC and the results were satisfactory.