« Back to Farmacia Journal 6/2013

OPTIMIZATION OF METOPROLOL TARTRATE MODIFIED RELEASE MATRIX TABLETS FORMULATION USING SURELEASE AS BINDER FOR GRANULATION

CRISTIAN ALECU¹, IOAN TOMUȚĂ^2*, DANA DUDAS², SORIN LEUCUȚA², CONSTANTIN MIRCIOU³

Download Full Article PDF

The aim of this experimental work was to evaluate the influence of formulation variables on drug (metoprolol tartrate) release during a period of 12 hours, using a statistical method, in order to prepare sustained release matrix type tablets. A full factorial experimental design with two factors and three levels was used. The formulation factors were the matrix-forming polymer concentration (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) and the granulation polymer concentration (ethylcellulose). The dependent variables were the percent of metoprolol released at different periods of time and k release constant and n exponent of the Peppas equation. The obtained results have shown that the percentage of the drug released during the study period was influenced by both polymers used, increasing their percentages leading to a prolonged time of the released drug. However there are differences in the period of their influence, the management of this behavior being of practical interest in the optimization of the release rate.