DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF FLOATING MATRIX TABLETS OF CEFIXIME TRIHYDRATE USING ALOE VERA GEL POWDER FOR TREATMENT OF GASTRIC ULCERS

R. Natarajan*, S. Revathi, V. Suresh Babu and R. Sambath Kumar

ABSTRACT

Cefixime trihydrate floating matrix tablets were developed to improve patient compliance, extend the drug's stomach residence duration, and improve its bioavailability. Fast gastrointestinal transit may cause partial drug release from the drug delivery system above the absorption zone, which would reduce the effectiveness of the dosage that is given. The tablets were made using the direct compression method. Citric acid was utilized as a floating agent, sodium bicarbonate was added as a gas producing agent, and HPMC K100M and powdered aloe vera gel were added to increase the release rate. The thickness, hardness, friability, drug content, floating lag time, floating time, in-vitro drug release tests, and release kinetics of the produced matrix floating tablets were assessed. When compared to the other optimized formulations, F5, which ranges from F1 to F9, exhibits a higher release rate in contrast to alternative formulations. The improved formulation (F5) fit into the kinetic model, which displays the Higuchi model and the R2value of 0.956, according to the drug release kinetic data. To examine the drug's release mechanism from the polymeric system, the outcomes of the in-vitro release data were fitted to the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation. The drug release is thought to follow a non-Fickian release mechanism, as indicated by the found "n" value of 0.995.

Keywords: cefixime trihydrate, floating matrix tablets, in-vitro drug release, floating lag time, non- fickian release.