FORMULATION, EVALUATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF RANITIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE FLOATING TABLETS WITH IMPROVED GI ABSORPTION

Oral drug delivery system represents one of the main areas of sustained drug delivery system. Floating drug delivery system related to oral sustained drug delivery system group, which is capable of floating in the stomach for an exteneded period of time. Ranitidine hydrochloride is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist. It is widely prescribed in active duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and GERD. A traditional oral sustained release formulation releases most of the drug at the colon, thus the drug should have absorption window either in the colon or throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Ranitidine is absorbed only in the initial part of the small intestine and has 50% absolute bioavailability. The aim of the present research is to provide a gastroretentive system for sustained release of Ranitidine hydrochloride in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of floating tablet. Gastroretentive tablets of Ranitidine Hydrochloride were prepared by direct compression technique using polymers like Carbopol, Chitosan, Styrene-divinylbenzene and the mixture of Magnesium stearate as a lubricant, Talc as a glidant and Lactose as fillers. The results of the present research show that the chitosan and carbopol 940 mixed matrices can be used to modify release rates in hydrophilic matrix tablets prepared by direct compression. Incorporation of the highly porous low-density copolymer in the matrix tablets provides densities that are lower than the density of the release medium. 17% w/w low density copolymer (based on the mass of the tablet) was sufficient to achieve proper in vitro floating behavior for at least 8 h. Keywords: Floating drug delivery system, Ranitidine hydrochloride, Gastrointestinal tract, Carbopol, ChitosanÂ