Formulation variable study and optimization of taste masked mouth dissolving tablets using design of experiment

Background: Aim of present work is to prepare and optimized mouth dissolving tablets (MDTs) by using tasteless complex of levocetirizine. Materials and Methods: Formulation and optimization of tablets was done by using computer optimization technique. Formulated taste masked complex of drug was characterized by taste evaluation, percentage drug loading, thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction pattern. Optimization of MDTs was done by considering concentration of binder (polyvinylpyrrolidone [PVP] K30) and super-disintegrant (Kyron T-314) as independent variables whereas wetting time (WT), friability (Fr) and amount of drug release in 15 m (Q 15 ) as dependent variables. Response surface plots and contour plots were drawn, and optimum formulations were selected by feasibility and grid searches. Result and Discussion: By using 3 2 central composite design (CCD) optimized batch was obtained for which value of independent variable, PVP K30 (X1) and Kyron T-314 (X2) was 15 mg and 21 mg respectively and for dependent response, that is, Fr, WT and Q 15 to be 0.42%, 11.8 s. and 91.16% respectively. Validation of optimization study indicated very high degree of prognostic ability of response surface methodology (RSM). By analyzing the observed value to predicted value for Fr, WT and Q 15 the regression coefficient value was found to be 0.950, 0.961 and 0.957. Linearity of plot concluded that desired predicted response of all check-point batches were close to the predicted values and show the validity of data. Conclusion: Hence, optimized formulated batches were formulated by proper balancing of concentration of independent variables to attain desired dependent response using 3 2 CCD. Thus, 3 2 CCDs is an efficient tool in optimization experiments. High degree of outcome obtained using RSM concludes that 3 2 CCD is quite efficient in optimizing drug delivery systems that exhibit nonlinearity in response.