Gastro retentive systems can remain in the gastric region for several hours and hence significantly prolong the gastric residence time of drugs. Verapamil HCL belongs to the class of calcium channel blockers. These medication block the movement of the calcium into the muscle cells of the coronary arteries. A novel gastro retentive controlled release drug delivery system of verapamil HCl was formulated in an effort to increase the gastric retention time of the dosage form and to control drug

more »

... ase. The aim of the work is to design and evaluate verapamil HCL floating controlled release gastroretentive tablets using different hydrocolloid polymers including Carbopol, Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose, and Xanthan gum incorporated for gel forming agent by direct compression technology. The tablets were evaluated for the physicochemical parameters such as weight variation, thickness, friability, hardness, drug content, in vitro buoyancy studies, in vitro dissolution studies. The prepared tablets exhibited satisfactory physico-chemical characteristics. Tablet buoyancy was achieved by adding an effervescent mixture of sodium bicarbonate and anhydrous citric acid. The in vitro dissolution studies were carried out in a USP XXII apparatus II in 0.1N HCl. All the gastroretentive tablets showed good in-vitro buoyancy. The selected tablets (F3) containing Xanthan gum released approximately 94.43% drug in 24 h in vitro dissolution study, while the buoyancy lag time was 25.8 ± 4.2 second and the tablet remained buoyancy for > 24 h. Zero order and non-Fickian release transport was confirmed as the drug release mechanism for the selected tablets (F3).