Abstract

FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MUCOADHESIVE GASTRORETENTIVE TABLETS FOR CIPROFLOXACIN USING MORINGA GUM AS NATURAL MUCOADHESIVE POLYMER

Akhlaq Qureshi* and Atul Kaushik

Abstract

Mucoadhesive gastroretentive tablets of ciprofloxacin utilizing the potential of gum moringa as a natural mucoadhesive polymer so that the formulation could control the release of the drug thereby reducing its dosing frequency and improving the bioavailability. The precompression blend prepared was evaluated for the micromeritic properties in order to ascertain the compressibility characteristics of the blend. The angle of repose, bulk density and tapped density, Hausner’s ratio and Carr’s Index ranged for all formulations was found. The thickness of all formulation was ranged in between 4.7 to 4.9 mm while the hardness of the formulations ranged from 5.13 to 5.6 Kg/cm2. The friability of all formulation was in the range of 0.41% to 0.69% and the weight variation was in the range of 2.1 to 2.9 %. Swelling study was performed on all the formulation for 9 h and was found to be in the range of 2.61 to 4.98. The highest degree of swelling was achieved by F6 that contained highest ratios of gum moringa and xanthan gum. The formulations F1, F2, F3 and F4 could sustain the release of ciprofloxacin for up to 8h. On the other hand, the formulation F5 and F6 were able to sustain the drug release upto 10 and 12 h respectively. The results lead to conclusion that the formulation F5 and F6 were the best formulation that exhibited the desired sustained release, tablet qualities as well as the swelling properties that are desired by a gastroretentive tablets.

Keywords: Mucoadhesive, Gastroretentive, Tablets, Ciprofloxacin, Moringa Gum, Natural Polymer.