FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF CONTROLLED DELIVERY FLOATING MICROSPHERES OF RANITIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE

Aim: the objective of the present paper was to design and formulate Ranitidine hydrochloride (RH) floating microspheres by the emulsion solvent evaporation technique using different polymers: [Ethyl cellulose (EC) and Eudragit E100 (E E100)] with different drug: polymer ratio and at different speeds of rotation.
Methodology: the emulsion solvent- evaporation technique was used for the preparation of Ranitidine floating microspheres. The prepared microspheres were examined for their production yield, entrapment efficiency, micromeritic properties, in- vitro buoyancy and in-vitro drug release.
Results and discussion: Evaluation of micromeretics properties of the prepared microspheres showed that all formulae have good flow properties. The production yield of the microspheres ranging from 60.7% to 98.7% [the best one was (RH-EC/E E100 (1:2.5)400 rpm)] and encapsulation efficiencies ranging from 47.5% to 79.7% [the best one was (RH-EC (1:4)400 rpm)].Microspheres showed excellent buoyancy ranging from72% to 92% over 12hr [the best one was (RH-E E100 (1:1)400 rpm)] as RH microspheres with low density showed excellent floatation behavior than others with high density. In vitro release of the drug showing a biphasic pattern with controlled release during 12 hours. The release of RH increased as the concentration of polymer decreased. By combining the production yield, micromeretics parameters, entrapment efficiency and the in vitro release of RH from capsules, it was found that RH-EC/E E100 (1:2.5) 400 rpm was superior to all of the prepared formulae.