Design and development of a swellable and mucoadhesive gastroretentive tablets of amoxycillin

An attempt has been made to develop a gastroretentive sustained release delivery system with swellable and mucoadhesive properties for a drug like amoxycillin that has gives localised action along with the added advantage of a common side effect like disturbance of colonic bacteria. Hydrophilic polymers like poly (ethylene oxide), hydroxypropyl cellulose and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose were tried in combinations and statistically optimised. Formulations were evaluated for in vitro drug release profile, swelling characteristics and in vitro mucoadhesion property. Stability study was carried out to ensure the complete characterisation of the formulation. Gastroretentive ability was assured by in vivo study of non medicated tablet formulations by X-ray method. A 3 2 factorial design was used to optimize the formulation to get the release profile for upto 24 h. The in vitro drug release followed Weibull kinetics and the drug release mechanism was found to be of anomalous or non-Fickian type. The high water uptake leading to higher swelling of the tablet supported the anomalous release mechanism of amoxycillin. Also the mucoadhesion property values were satisfying. A formulation can be developed using swellable mucoadhesive biopolymers, which show excellent adhesion and gastroretention and desired release profiles thus providing temporal and spatial control.