Chronotherapeutic Drug Delivery System of Diltiazem Microspheres by Using Pulsincap Technology for the Treatment of Hypertension

Author(s)

Divya, B., Ravindra, R. K., Narasimha, R. B., Vijayan, V., Reddy, K. K. M.

Author's Affiliation

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to develop colon specific drug delivery system for Diltiazem using natural polymers as carriers. We have investigated colon specific, pulsatile device to achieve time and site specific release of Diltiazem based on chronopharmaceutical considerations. The basic design consists of an insoluble hard gelatin capsule body, filled with Diltiazem surface solid dispersions and sealed with guar gum hydrogel plug. The entire capsule was coated with ethyl cellulose, so that the variability in gastric emptying time can be overcome and a colon specific release can be achieved. Surface solid dispersions (SSDs) of Diltiazem were prepared using natural polymers such as Guar gum (GG), sodium alginate and Xanthan gum (XG) in the weight ratios of 1:2,1:4 and 1:6 by using emulsification solvent evaporation method. Physicochemical properties of the prepared SSD were characterized by FTIR and SEM. Optimized SSD were obtained by practical yield, drug content, solubility and dissolution studies and were selected for further fabrication of pulsincaps. Guar gum was used as hydrogel plug material to maintain a suitable lag period. The prepared pulsincaps were evaluated for in-vitro release. Pulsincap formulated with Diltiazem : Sodium alginate at 1:2 ratio of surface solid dispersions showed highest drug release over the period of 19 hr and release was found to be Higuchi model kinetics. The present research study results have confirmed that the modified pulsincap of Diltiazem is a suitable device for the time dependent and site specific delivery to the colon segment of GIT.

Keywords

Pulsatile, Colon Specific, Diltiazem, Chitosan, Guargum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Alginate

Cite This Article

Divya, B., Ravindra, R. K., Narasimha, R. B., Vijayan, V., & Reddy, K. K. M. (2014). Chronotherapeutic Drug Delivery System of Diltiazem Microspheres by using Pulsincap Technology for the Treatment of Hypertension. International Journal for Pharmaceutical Research Scholars (IJPRS), 3(3), 403-417.