Abstract

GEOMATRIX TECHNOLOGY: FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF STAVUDINE EXTENDED RELEASE TABLETS

Pawankumar Rai*

Abstract

The present study was to formulate and evaluate geomatrix tablets of Stavudine. Stavudine is a nucleotide analog drug used in the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been incorporated into directly compressed geomatrices where excipients like Eudragit, ethyl cellulose, HPMC, MCC, aerosil and magnesium stearate were used. Polymers are water soluble, insoluble and acid resistant polymers. Formulation was optimized on the basis of acceptable tablet properties (weight variations, drug content hardness, friability) and in-vitro drug release. The resulting formulation produced robust tablets with optimum hardness, consistent weight uniformity and low friability. The optimized formulation F4 was found to have good Geomatrix integrity throughout study. The drug release study was carried out at 37±0.5°C in phosphate buffer of pH 7.4 for 24 hrs. It was found that the drug release profile of these formulations were uniform and sustained throughout the study period. The drug release kinetics of prepared tablets was evaluated for different kinetic models. The regression values of the optimized formulations were found to higher (0.987) in Higuchi model indicating drug releases by diffusion. The stability studies were carried out according to ICH guidelines which indicate that the selected formulations were stable.

Keywords: Controlled release, Ethyl cellulose, Eudragit RL 100, Geomatrix, Stavudine, HPMC.