Volume :
2
Issue :
3
Abstract :
Famotidine is widely prescribed drug in the treatment of ulcers. To get the local action gastro retentive dosage forms are more suitable. Very few works have done on formulation of famotidine alginate gel multiparticulate beads using emulsion gelation method. Hence the present work aimed to develop mineral oil emulsion alginate gel beads with sodium alginate, HPMC,mineral oil, through an ionotropic emulsion-gelation process. The beads were subjected to evaluate for particle size, %yield, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release characteristics. The alginate beads with oil addition were able to continuously float over the medium for more than 10 h. The alginate beads produced were smooth and small in size with an average diameter of about 0.987mm to 1.5mm. Sodium alginate beads containing 10% oil F5 (7:3): 1 P: D ratio, showed an optimum DEE of 87%. The famotidine was released in a sustained manner for more than 8h due to the addition of oil as a second diffusion barrier. The formulation F5 releases the drug (65.5%) at end of the 8 hr exhibited the optimum sustained release of famotidine, with excellent floating properties. Drug release was controlled by diffusion from the alginate beads that was slow and spreads over an extended period of time depending upon the drug polymer ratio. In vitro release kinetic studies shows it follows Higuchi mechanism.The results clearly indicated that the floating-type gastro retentive dosage form of famotidine loaded mineral oil entrapped beads can give sustained action for treating gastric ulcers.