FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF NASAL INSITU GEL OF FLUOXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE

Purpose of this study was to formulate and evaluate in-situ gel of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride for nasal delivery using polymers possessing in-situ gelling properties.Formulations containing carbopol and sodium alginate were prepared using poloxomer as copolymer.Formulations were liquid before administration and underwent rapid gelation upon oral administration.FT-IR studies of drug, polymer and their physical mixture were carried out. The result of these studies revealed that there are no definite changes obtained in the bands of drug with respect to pure drug. Hence it was confirmed that formulations do not have any drug polymer interactions.In order to evaluate rheological behavior, viscosity of the formulations was evaluated using Brookfield viscometer. It showed that viscosity was found to be decreased at increasing rpm exhibiting shear thinning behaviour and increase in viscosity was observed with increase in concentration of polymer indicating that it obeys Newtonian system.Invitro release of fluoxetine from formulations was carried out which will indicate the effects of the variables on the mechanism and kinetics of drug release from dosage form. For the present work, in-vitro diffusion studies were carried out in simulated nasal fluid. Release kinetic studies showed that insitu gels followed zero order drug release mechanism. Korsmeyer-peppas ‘n’ value 0.96 indicated that the formulation followed non-fickian diffusion controlled release mechanism. Keywords: insitu gel systems,Nasal drug delivery,Fluoxetine Hydrochloride.