FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GLICLAZIDE MICROSPHERES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL EVALUATIONS

Gliclazide microspheres were prepared by ionotropic gelation method using bioadhesive polymers such as sodium alginate, carbopol 934, carbopol 971, HPMC K4M in different ratios. Totally twelve different formulations of gliclazide were prepared by using the above polymers. The microspheres were characterized for drug content, entrapment efficiency, swelling index, mucoadhesive property by In vitro wash-off test and in-vitro drug release. The results of this investigation indicate that ionic cross linking technique Ionotropic gelation method can be successfully employed to fabricate Model drug microspheres. Micrometric studies revealed that the mean particle size of the prepared microspheres was in the size range of 512-903 µm and are suitable for bioadhesive microspheres for oral administration. The in-vitro mucoadhesive study demonstrated that microspheres of Model drug using sodium alginate along with Carbopol 934 as copolymer adhered to the mucus to a greater extent than the microspheres of Model drug using sodium alginate along with Carbopol 971 and HPMC K4Mas copolymers. Analysis of drug release mechanism showed that the drug release from the formulations followed non-Fickian diffusion and the best fit model was found to be Korsmeyer-Peppas. Based on the results of evaluation tests formulation coded T4 was concluded as best formulation.