Abstract

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF LOSARTAN POTASSIUM FAST DISSOLVING FILMS USING ALOE VERA GEL

Dr Anna Balaji, Achuth Reddy Vookanti*, Kranthi Rao Poladi

Abstract

The present study was aimed to develop a novel fast dissolving drug delivery system for an antihypertensive drug. Fast dissolving films (FDF’s) are particularly useful in pediatric, geriatric, psychiatric and bedridden patients who have difficulty in swallowing. Losartan potassium (LP), an antihypertensive drug, is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. The aim of the present study was to develop FDF’s of LP to increase patient compliance. The FDF’s were prepared by solvent casting method using different grades of low viscosity hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Aloe vera gel. The FDF’s were evaluated for compatibility, thickness, uniformity of weight, folding endurance, surface morphology, surface pH, moisture uptake, moisture loss, uniformity of drug content, tensile strength, disintegration time and in vitro dissolution studies. DSC and FTIR results indicated that there was no incompatibility between the drug and the polymers. SEM micrograph revealed that the surface morphology of optimized formulation F11 possessed smooth texture and uniform distribution of drug. Moisture uptake was found to be highest (21.79 ± 0.12 %) for Aloe vera containing films suggesting that Aloe vera increases the hydrophilicity and water uptake of the films. The disintegration time was lowest for Aloe vera containing FDF’s and was 16±2.60 sec for formulation F11. In vitro dissolution study showed that the drug release was found to be 98.82±0.33 % at the end of 90mins in 300 ml of pH 6.8 simulated salivary fluid at 37±0.5 °C. The study demonstrated that FDF’s of HPMC E15 with Aloe vera gel could be successfully formulated.

Keywords: Aloe vera gel, Losartan potassium, Fast Dissolving Films, HPMC E15, Dysphagia.