Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research University

Department of Pharmaceutics
Presentation on
Importance of BCS classification in Drug
design, Delivery & Marketing
Presented to:- Presented by:-
Dr. Tridib Chairia Aakash Soni
Faculty, DPSRU 11/MPH/DPSRU/2018
 Contents
 Introduction
 BCS classes
Classification of Drugs
Determination of Parameters
Dependent Dimensionless Parameters
 Introduction
The BIOPHARMACEUTICS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM is a system
to differentiate the drugs on the basis of their solubility and permeability.
This system restricts the prediction using the parameter solubility and
intestinal permeability. The solubility classification is based on a United
States Pharmacopoeia(USP) aperture. The intestinal permeability
classification is based on a comparison of the intravenous injection. All
those factors are highly important because 85% drugs are orally
administered.
 BCS classes
Class I Class II
High permeability High permeability
High solubility Low solubility
Ex:- Metoprolol, Paracetamol Ex:- glibenclamide, aceclofenac
Those compounds are well absorbed and their The bioavailability of those products is limited by their
absorption rate is usually higher than excretion. solvation rate.

Class III Class I

Low permeability Lowpermeability
High solubility Low solubility
Ex:-Cimetidine Ex:- Bifonazole
The absorption is limited by the permeation rate but Those compounds have a poor bioavailability. Usually
the drug is solvated very fast. they are not well absorbed over the intestinal mucosa.
 Classification of Drugs
Classification of drug depend upon its three key parameters, that controls Absorption

SOLUBILITY

DISSOLUTION
PERMEABILITY
RATE
 Determination of Solubility
Solubility class boundaries are based on the highest dose strength
of an immediate release product. A drug is considered highly
soluble when the highest dose strength is soluble in 250 ml or
less of aqueous media over the pH range of 1 to 7.5. The volume
estimate of 250 ml is derived from typical bioequivalence study
protocols that prescribe administration of a drug product to
fasting human volunteers with a glass of water.
 Determination of Permeability
Permeability class boundaries are based indirectly on the extent
of absorption of a drug substance in humans and directly on the
measurement of rates of mass transfer across human intestinal
membrane. Alternatively non-human systems capable of
predicting drug absorption in humans can be used (such as in-
vitro culture methods). A drug substance is considered highly
permeable when the extent of absorption in humans is determined
to be 90% or more of the administered dose based on a mass-
balance determination or in comparison to an intravenous dose.
 Determination of Dissolution
For dissolution class boundaries, an immediate release product is
considered rapidly dissolving when no less than 85% of the
labeled amount of the drug substance dissolves within 15 minutes
using USP Dissolution Apparatus 1 at 100 RPM or Apparatus 2 at
50 RPM in a volume of 900 ml or less in the following media:
0.1 N HCl or simulated gastric fluid or pH 4.5 buffer and pH 6.8
buffer or simulated intestinal fluid.
Dependent Dimensionless Parameters
DISSOLUTION
SOLUBILITY PERMEABILITY
RATE

The classification of the drug directly correlate with three

respective dimensionless parameter:-

Dose Absorption Dissolution

Number Number Number
 Dose Number
A function of Solubility of Drug substance
Should be less than 1
It is the Dose Concentration/Solubility Ratio

D= Highest Dose unit

Vwater = 250 ml
Cs = Solubility
 Dissolution number
• A function of Drug release from formulation
• Defined as the ratio of mean residence time to mean dissolution
time
• Should exceed 1

Tgi =Residence time in GIT (approx 180 min.)

Tcd =Time required for complete Dissolution
 Absorption Number
• A function of GI permeability to Drug Substance
• Absorption number is the time required to absorb the administered
dose
• It is the ratio of the mean residence time to mean absorption time.

Peff = effective permeability

R = radius of GI
Tgi = residence time in GI
Tabs = time required for complete abs.