DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERSATURATED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM OF METFORMIN HCL

Manoj R. V.*, Parthasarathi K Kulkarni, Nagendra R, Venkatesh K and Hanumanthachar Joshi

ABSTRACT

The basic drugs tend to precipitate when it moves from acidic pH to basic pH that is from the stomach to the intestine which decreases the availability of the drug for absorption. Certain polymeric carriers such as HPMC, PVP, and HPC inhibit the precipitation and can be used as carriers so that the drug will be in a solubilized state and easier to absorb. Supersaturated drug delivery systems are a potentially effective and novel way in pharmaceutical sciences to increase the absorption of drugs. The study investigates the formulation and assessment of SDDS to reach and sustain a supersaturated condition by using solid dispersion techniques. The FT-IR studies showed that the drug and excipients were compatible. Nucleation and crystallization studies were carried out for the drug with different polymer grades PVP K25, PVP K30, and PVP K90 among these polymers a suitable polymer was selected and solid dispersion was prepared by solvent evaporation method. The final formulation was examined for morphology using scanning electron microscopy and for compatibility using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Compared to the pure drug, in vitro dissolution experiments showed a marked improvement in drug solubility and dissolution rate. An extended duration of the supersaturated condition was sustained, suggesting that the drug precipitation was effectively inhibited.

Keywords: Supersaturated drug delivery system, Basic dugs, Basic pH, Precipitation inhibitors.