Abstract

FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF RAMIPRIL MICROPELLETS

*Raju Nuka¹, Appa Rao Potu², Raghu Nandan. N³

Department of Pharmaceutics, Balaji Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Warangal, India

Abstract

The present study was undertaken with an aim to develop immediate release micro pellets of Ramipril by powder layering technique by using various supper disintegrating agents sodium starch clycolate(SSG), cross carmellose sodium(CCS) and cross povidone (CP). Ramipril which is a antihypertensive drug and is one of the most widely used drugs for treating mild and moderate hypertension and congestive heart failure .Ramipril has a long biological half life (3-16 hrs), and along with elimination half �life ( 9-18 hours ) suggests its immediate action for treating hypertension . More particularly, the present investigation was directed for stabilizing the Ramipril against decomposition into degradation products, namely, Ramipril-DKP(diketopiperzine) and Ramipril-diacid during formulation and storage conditions. The prepared micropellets were charecterized for their bulk density ,tapped density , carr�s index and Hausner ratio and in-vitro drug release studies. The particle size and moRamiprilhology of the pellet were evaluated by using sieve analysis and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Drug � excipient compatability studies were investigated by Fourier �transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR). In-vitro drug release studies of the micro pellets revealed immediate drug release behaviour. Nine formulations were prepared of which pellets containing SSG ( FR 8) (4 % ) exhibited maximum drug release in 15 minutes i.e 98.81 % compared to other formulations.

Keywords: Ramipril, micropellet, diketopiperzines, immediate release.