Okra Gum as polymer in Ciprofloxacin Floating-Bioadhesive Tablets

Gastro - retentive drug delivery systems such as floating system and bioadhesive system retain dosage form in the stomach for prolonged period of time with predictable gastric emptying time and longer gastric retention time. Thereby overcoming a major limitation in oral controlled drug delivery, where some drugs are absorbed in specific segments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) only or are absorbed to varying degrees in different segments of the GIT. The combination of floating and bioadhesive types of gastroretentive drug delivery system in one dosage form will maximize the benefits inherent in each of them as well as avoid the individual disadvantages. Okra gum a natural polymeric material obtained from the pods of Abelmoschus esculentus (family Malvaceae) has shown potential as a multifunctional pharmaceutical excipient for combined floating - bioadhesive gastro retentive drug delivery systems.