Gastroretentive floating tablets: An investigation of excipients effect on tablet properties

Abstract

Present communication was aimed to investigate the effect of excipients on buoyancy and drug release properties from the floating tablets. Gastroretentive floating tablets were developed by the wet granulation method using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC K4M), carbopol 934P, carbopol 971P and crospovidone as a rate controlling polymers. Sodium bicarbonate and PVP K30 were used as a gas generating agent and granulating agent, respectively. The effect of formulation variables on tablet performance was examined quantitatively based on buoyancy properties, swelling behavior and drug release profiles. The drug release mechanism was investigated using mathematical models. It was found that HPMC/carbopol matrices at 1:1 ratio with crospovidone and sodium bicarbonate gave the sustained and better drug release profile as compared to HPMC or carbopol matrices alone. The mechanism of drug release was found to be anomalous non Fickian. From the swelling and drug release profiles it is suggested that HPMC/carbopol matrices with crospovidone and sodium bicarbonate had better release profile upto 24 h.