Comparative study on Effect of Natural and Synthetic Superdisintegrants in the Formulation of Levocetirizine Hydrochloride Orodispersible Tablets

Aim of this study was to prepare Levocetirizine Hydrochloride orodispersible tablets using different synthetic and natural superdisintegrants and to compare the effect of different superdisintegrants on the release profile of the formulation. The results of Fourier Transmission Infra- Red spectroscopy confirmed that the drug and excipients were compatible with each other and were devoid of interactions. The results of precompression studies like angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, compressibility index and Hausner’s ratio reveals that the prepared powder blends of formulations possess good flow properties with synthetic superdisintegrants and passable flow property with natural superdisintegrants. The orodispersible tablets are prepared by direct compression technique using superdisinegrants in different concentration (2.5 %, 5% and 7.5%), mannitol as bulking material, MCC as a binder, saccharin sodium as a sweetening agent. The prepared tablets were subjected to post compression evaluations and the results indicated that the hardness, thickness, wetting time and water absorption ratio of the tablets prepared from the synthetic superdisintegrant (Crospovidone) were better when compared with the other formulations. All the tablets were of uniform size and shape with good resistance against mechanical damage. The tablets of all formulations contains uniform amount of drug, which ensures content uniformity for tablets of all formulations. The tablets were within the limits of weight variation test, which in turn indicate uniform distribution of contents of the powder blends of each formulations. The friability of all the tablets was found to be ˂ 1%, which indicates the good mechanical resistance. The tablets of best formulations F5 containing 5% crospovidone as superdisintegrant was found to have minimum wetting time and maximum water absorption ratio which is the desired characteristic of orodispersible tablets, which enabled faster disintegration of tablets. Among all the formulations, the best formulation was selected on the basis of lowest disintegration time, rapid drug release profile, higher water absorption ratio, short wetting time. Formulation F5 showed lowest disintegration time of 39.7 seconds, faster drug release rate of 98.31% in 30 minutes, comparatively high water absorption ratio of 84.87%, short wetting time of 47.3 seconds and minimum chemicals composition. In those parameter would drive the F5 formulation as a best comparatively. CONCLUSION: Orodispersible tablets of Levocetrizine Hydrochloride tabltes prepared by direct compression technique containing synthetic superdisintegrants crospovidone (5%) was found to be better disintegration property because of its combination effect of swelling and wicking and showed best in-vitro dissolution profile than the formulations containing natural superdisintegrants (hibiscus leaves dried mucilage and plantago ovata seed mucilage). Hence, it can be concluded that using a crospovidone can be used as a first choice fof superdisintegrant for the formation of orodispersible tablets