Swelling and mucoadhesive behavior with drug release characteristics of gastoretentive drug delivery system based on a combination of natural gum and semi-synthetic polymers

Using ramipril as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient, the focus of the present study was to fabricate low-cost controlled release tablets using combinations of biopolymer and semi-synthetic polymers. Cellulose derivatives are more viscous where biopolymers form gels more easily. Xanthan gum can’t shape a solid gel, result in fragmentation of gel around the tablets so that depend upon high concentration. Therefore, a combination was used to formulate tablet by direct compression. This combination of polymer provides low cost product with higher potentiality. Ingredients as per formulations were mixed in small polybag through hand blending. Then tablets were compressed one by one tablet in a hydraulic press. Prepared tablets were evaluated for hardness, weight variation, content uniformity, friability, surface pH and in-vitro dissolution studies. ANOVA was used to analyze the differences between release data. Swelling index, mucoadhesive strength and in-vitro residence time was studied to show gastroretention of the tablets. Formulated products exhibit sufficient quality and strength to formulate as a mucoadhesive tablet. Significant differences were found in drug release among different formulations (p ˂0.05) in all cases. Among all of formulations, F11, F12 and F13 containing different ratio of xanthan gum and guar gum showed promising mucoadhesive strength and in-vitro residence time.