PREPARATION OF HIGHLY POROUS GASTRORETENTIVE QUETIAPINE FUMARATE TABLETS BY USING A SUBLIMATION METHOD

The present investigation is aimed to formulate floating gastroretentive tablets containing Quetiapine Fumerate using a sublimation material. The effect of the amount of HPMC K4M on swelling and eroding of the tablets was determined. The water-uptake and erosion behavior of the gastroretentive tablets were highly dependent on the amount of HPMC K4M. The water-uptake increased with increasing HPMC K4M concentration in the tablet matrix. The weight loss from tablets decreased with increasing amounts of HPMC K4M. Camphor was used as the sublimation material to prepare gastroretentive tablets that are low-density and easily floatable.Floating properties of tablets and tablet density were affected by the sublimation of camphor. Prepared floating gastroretentive tablets floated for over 24 hrs and had no floating lag time. However, as the amount of camphor in the tablet matrix increased, the crushing strength of the tablet decreased after sublimation. The release profiles of the drug from the gastroretentive tablets were not affected by tablet density or porosity. From the Formulation, Kinetic, FTIR and DSC Studies indicated that the drug was stable in the tablets. HPMC K4M can be used as a rate controlling polymer by appropriate selection in different ratios. The release of the drug from a matrix tablet was highly dependent on the polymer concentrations. Key words: Gastroretentive Quetiapine fumerate floating tablets, Effervescent method, Non Effervescent method