DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF MUCOADHESIVE MICROSPHERES

Biodegradable microspheres are one of the most useful devices to deliver materials in an effective, prolonged and safe manner. Mucoadhesion is a novel area of interest in the design of drug delivery systems to maintain the dosage form at the site of action or absorption and to facilitate intimate contact of the dosage form with underlying absorption surface to improve and enhance bioavailability. Repaglinide is a meglitinide analogue used as oral hypoglycaemic drug and having very low t1/2 (~ 1hr.), 56% bioavailability. It is totally absorbed from GIT, so it is the need to increase its transit time, by formulating with HPMC K4M, sodium alginate and Carbopol 934 P. Sodium alginate microspheres for an anti diabetic drug, repaglinide, were prepared by ionic-gelation method and investigated for its various physicochemical and release properties. Incorporation of HPMC K4M and Carbopol 934 P in the formulations affected the mucoadhesion, % water absorption, shape and release pattern of the formulations. Drug release from the microspheres followed peppas order kinetics. The prepared batches were found to sustained the release of the drug for 12 hours.