Enhanced Stability of Acetyl-L-Carnitine Tablet under Accelerated Storage Condition

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), an endogenous component of L-Carnitine, is the acetyl ester of carnitine that has been reported to be beneficial in depressive disorders and Alzheimer's disease.ALC is so hygroscopic that deliquescence took place when it absorbed moisture by 15%(w/w) in a week and then reached steady-state at 45%(w/w) in 40$^{\circ}C$, 75% RH storage condition. Therefore it is necessary to prevent ALC from absorbing atmospheric moisture. For this purpose, we chose hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP) an enteric polymer, as a film former. (omitted)