ABSTRACT:
Treatment of musculo-skeletal disorders with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) produces moderate to severe gastric adverse effects. This work describes the development of Aceclofenac, a model NSAID, loaded hydrogel beads which could deliver minimal amount of drug in stomach and provide complete release in small intestine in a controlled manner. Various single and bipolymeric hydrogel beads were prepared using modified natural polymers like sodium carboxymethyl xanthan and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose through ionotropic gelation process using AlCl3 as a cross linking agent. Compatibility of the drug in the hydrogel beads were evaluated through FTIR, XRD and DSC analyses. Effect of various formulation parameters in addition to viscosity of polymers or polymer combination were studied on physical properties of the beads. Morphology, size and drug entrapment efficiency of beads, and in-vitro drug release in hydrochloric acid solution and phosphate buffer (PB) solution (pH6.8) were found to be influenced by the viscosity of polymer dispersion in addition to the ratios of the two polymers, initial drug load, and concentration of total polymer and AlCl3.The beads released considerably less amount of drug in acid solution (maximum 14.2%) and provided controlled release in PB solution. The mechanism of drug release varied from Fickian to non- Fickian model in acid solution and from non-Fickian to case II transport model in PB solution.