DEVELOPMENT AND INVITRO EVALUATION OF CONTROLLED RELEASE ATORVASTATIN FLOATING TABLETS FOR ORAL DELIVERY

The present study was concerned with the development of floating drug delivery system (FDDS) for the model drug Atorvastatin. The tablets were prepared by using ethyl cellulose (EC) in fixed ratio and guar gum with varying proportions, as rate controlling polymers. To make tablets in floating condition, gas generating agent, i.e. sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) was used in a fixed amount. The tablets were prepared by direct compression method. Various tablet formulations were evaluated for thickness, hardness, diameter, friability, weight variation, drug content, invitro buoyancy study, invitro dissolution study, drug release kinetics and accelerated stability study. Quality control (QC) test data of all the tablet formulations complied with the IP. The prepared tablets remained buoyant for more than 8 hours in the release medium. The proportions of the polymers (EC and guar gum) showed significant difference in the release of the drug (Atorvastatin). All the formulations released the drug over 8 hours with zero order kinetics. Formulation F6 was selected as the best tablet formulation for its high floating time (> 15 hours) and its better drug release profile (56.56±0.79%). All the data were verified as statistically significant by using one way ANOVA (analysis of variance) at 5% level of significance (p< 0.05).