Development and evaluation of pulsatile drug delivery system using novel polymer

Abstract

The aim of the present investigation was to develop a pulsatile drug delivery system based on an insoluble capsule body filled with theophylline microspheres and sealed with a swellable novel polymer plug isolated from the endosperm of seeds of higher plant Delonix regia family-Fabaceae. Theophylline microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation method using Eudragit S 100. The swellable plugs of varying thickness and hardness were prepared by direct compression, which were then placed in the capsule opening. The drug delivery system was designed to deliver the drug at such a time when it was needed most to offer convenience to the chronic patients of asthma. Formulated dosage forms were evaluated for an in vitro drug release study, which showed that the release might be consistent with a release time expected to deliver the drug to the colon depending on the thickness and hardness of the hydrogel plug. Thus, thickness and hardness of the novel polymeric plug plays an important role in controlling the drug release from the formulated drug delivery system.

Keywords::

• Novel polymer
• delonix regia
• pulsatile
• controlled release
• colonic delivery
• theophylline

Acknowledgments

The financial support of the All India Council for Technical Education, New Delhi, under research promotion scheme (Grant No. 8023/BOR/RID/RPS-166/2007-08) is gratefully acknowledged.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.