GASTROADHESIVE SUITABILITY STUDIES FOR BACLOFEN SUSTAINED RELEASE FORMULATION

The present study is to investigate gastromucoadhesive suitability of natural polysaccharides for development of baclofen sustained release tablet formulations by increase gastric residence. Baclofen formulations were prepared by wet granulation technique and evaluated blend by FTIR, DSC for compatibility, hardness, friability, in-vitro drug release, gastric residence and mucoadhesive strength. The formulated tablets were found to have good mechanical properties and official compliance. Based on in-vitro drug release pattern and ex-vivo mucoadhesive study; the formulation B4 with drug-polymer ratio 1:2 and mucoadhesive-release retardant ratio 3:1 containing 13% hibiscus polysaccharide (HEC) and 7 % xanthan gum (XNG) was found to be promising for mucoadhesion and sustained release characteristics. Formulation B4 exhibited the highest efficiency of mucoadhesion strength (26 gm) and mucoadhesion retention in 0.1 N HCL medium even at the end of 5.6 hours when compared with other formulations. The accelerated stability studies revealed that the tablets retain their characteristics even after stressed storage conditions. The study reveals that hibiscus esculentus polysaccharide could be used as an effective natural pharmaceutical mucoadhesive along with xanthan gum in the development of stable, gastromucoadhesive sustained release matrix tablets of baclofen. Key words: Baclofen (BCLF), Hibiscus Esculentus polysaccharide (HEC), Xanthan gum (XNG), Gastromucoadhesive matrix tablet