Studies on the masking of unpleasant taste of beclamide: microencapsulation and tabletting

Abstract

Beclamide was microencapsulated in order to mask the taste, by a simple coacervation method using gelatin. Anhydrated sodium sulphate was used as coacervating agent. Glutaraldehyde, glutaraldehyde: isopropanol (8: 32) and formaldehyde: isopropanol (8: 32) were used as hardening agents. The optimum microencapsulation conditions were: 44g water, 9g beclamide and 47g sodium sulphate as components at a temperature of 40 + 0·5°C with glutaraldehyde (25 per cent w/v) as hardening agent.

The dissolution rate of beclamide from prepared microcapsules was determined by a rotating basket and the dissolution kinetics were investigated according to the zero-order, Hixson-Crowell and Higuchi equations. The dissolution pattern of beclamide was first-order kinetic. Release rate constants, t_50%, t_90% and AUC values were calculated. All these values were discussed for differently obtained microcapsules.

Beclamide was formulated in conventional, chewable and effervescent tablet forms. Physical tests were applied to all tablets. The paddle method was used as an in vitro dissolution test method for evaluation of conventional tablets.