Effect of Granulation Methods on Drug Release Studies in Sustained Release Matrix Tablets of a Poorly Soluble Drug prepared using Synthetic Polymers

Abstract

Vomiting or emesis is the abnormal emptying of stomach and upper part of intestine through esophagus and mouth. It occurs due to stimulation of the emetic (vomiting) centre situated in the medulla oblongata. Domperidone, a D2 receptor antagonist has antiemetic and prokinetic action is used as a model drug in the present work to prepare Sustained release matrix tablets using various synthetic polymers like Eudragit and HPMC K15 M. The tablets are designed to have a pH dependent release profile in order to prevent initial drug release in the stomach to reduce the possible gastro-irritant and ulcerogenic effects of the drug. Different polymer and diluent concentrations and various compression techniques like wet granulation technique and direct compression techniques were used in order to release the contents of the tablets in a sustained manner over a certain period of time. Domperidone is BCS Class II drug and its solubility was enhanced by preparing solid dispersions using solvent evaporation technique. In the present work solid dispersions containing drug and polymer mixture in the ratio 1:1 was further formulated into tablets by incorporating various synthetic polymers in three different concentrations. The tablets were prepared using different granulating techniques. Formulation (F3) containing drug and  polymers in the ratio 1:1 prepared by wet granulation technique could sustain the drug release over a period of 12h and hence considering all the post compression parameters it was optimized as the better formulation. FTIR, DSC, X-Ray Diffraction, SEM studies were performed for optimized solid dispersion mixture and also the optimized formulation.
 Keywords: Solubility enhancement, Solid dispersions, Solvent Evaporation, Wet granulation, Direct Compression.