Fast dissolving tablet of levocetrizine hydrochloride

Levocetrizine hydrochloride is an oral antihistamine and antiallergic agent, which blocking histamine receptors. It does not prevent the actual release of histamine from mast cells, but prevents it binding to its receptors. This in turn prevents the release of other allergy chemicals and increased blood supply to the area, and provides relief from the typical symptoms of hey fever and rhinitus allergic condition. The dose of Levocetrizine hydrochloride ranges from 5 to 10 mg twice in a day and it undergoes extensive first pass metabolism. Hence it has only 66% bioavailability. The half life of the drug 8 to 10 hours indicates the need for modified release dosage form. levocetrizine hydrochloride was chosen as model drug with an aim to developed fast dissolving tablet that improve bioavailability, patient compliance and rapid action in rhinitus allergic condition.