Design, Formulation and In-Vitro Evaluation of Sustained Release Tablet Formulations of Levosulpiride

INTRODUCTION: Levosulpiride is a widely used gastroprokinetic agent in the treatment of various gastric disorders however its short half-life and increased dosage frequency leads to non-compliance and possible adverse effects. The prime objective of the current study was to develop a sustained release formulations of Levosulpiride incorporating bioresorbable cellulose derivatives.
METHODS: The sustained release formulations of Levosulpiride were prepared through Direct compression method using various cellulose derivatives like Carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, Hydroxypropyl cellulose and Hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose in different polymer to drug weight ratios as release modifying polymers. The powders blend as well as compressed tablets were then subjected to pre-compressional and post-compressional evaluation as well as FTIR analysis. The in-vitro release studies were carried out for all formulations of the model drug in buffer solution of pH 6.8 at a wave length of 214nm by using UV/Visible spectrophotometer.
RESULTS: The FTIR results confirmed that the interaction between components was physical and out of the different kinetic models data the release profile was best expressed by Higuchi model as the results shows high linearity. The results also shown formulation F9 to be the ideal one among the developed formulations exhibiting sustained release behavior.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Levosulpiride sustained release matrices were prepared successfully utilizing CMC Sodium, HPC and HPMC as release retarding polymer/carrier.