Pharmaceuticals

Polymorphism in pharmacology refers to varied crystal forms of a drug, impacting therapeutic effects and absorption rates due to differing physical and chemical properties. Polymorph stability also affects medication shelf life and storage. Analytical techniques like X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy identify crystal forms, with Raman offering advantages including non-destructiveness, surface analysis, ease of use, and minimal sample preparation. RAMANtouch determined the crystal polymorph distribution of mefenamic acid, a painkiller with anti inflammatory and anti pyretic effects.

The figure shows the distribution of a mixture of these two crystal forms, imaged using fast and high-resolution Raman imaging. The red color represents the distribution of crystal Form I, while the yellow-green color represents the distribution of crystal form II. The spectra of the two forms show clear differences.

Raman imaging was conducted across an area of 0.5 mm square with a spatial resolution of approximately 700 nm and a measurement time of ~20 minutes. This allows for the quick generation of a detailed distribution map showing the various polymorphs.