Fabrication and evaluation of sustained release mucoadhesive bilayer tablets containing nifedipine

The purpose of the study was to formulate and evaluate mucoadhesive bi-layer buccal tablets of Nifedipine using the Natural bioadhesive polymers such as Pectin to compare the synthetic polymer like Carbopol 971-P, HPMCK4M and Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP- K30) along with ethyl cellulose and magnesiumsterate as an impermeable backing layer to improve the oral bioavailability. The preformulation study was performed by FTIR and DSC. The first layer which adheres to mucosa was obtained by direct compression of mucoadhesive polymers and drug. The second layer containing water impermeable agent was compressed on the first layer. The tablets were evaluated for weight variation, thickness, hardness, friability, surface pH, mucoadhesive strength, swelling index, in vitro drug release. The surface pH of all the tablets was close to neutral pH the mechanism of drug release was found to be non-Fickian diffusion for buccal tablets. The present study concludes that mucoadhesive buccal tablets of Nifedipine can be a good way to bypass the extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism and to improve the bioavailability of Nifedipine

Author(s): M. Muthukumaran, D. Dhachinamoorthi and K. B Chandra Sekhar

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