ABSTRACT

A new oral drug delivery system was developed utilizing both the concepts of controlled release and mucoadhesiveness, in order to obtain a unique drug delivery system which could remain in stomach and control the drug release for longer period of time. Gastro-retentive beads of Ramipril were prepared by orifice ionic gelation method in (1:1) ratio of alginate along with mucoadhesive polymers viz; Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose, Carbopol 934P, Chitosan and Cellulose acetate phthalate. The prepared beads were subjected for various evaluation parameters. The percentage drug content was found to be in the range of 59.4 –77.5 percent for beads. It was observed that as the alginate with different mucoadhesive polymer, the average size of beads also increased. Photomicrographs revealed that the beads were spherical in shape. Alginate-carbopol 934 p (1:1) beads showed excellent microencapsulation efficiency (83.44 percent). Alginate-Carbopol 934P exhibited maximum efficiency of mucoadhesion in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (44percent for 1:1) at the end of 8 hours, whereas least mucoadhesion was observed with alginate-hydroxy propyl methyl Cellulose beads. The in vitro release studies were carried out in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid and the release were found to be more sustained with Alginate-chitosan beads (1:1) than Alginate-Carbopol 934P (1:1) beads. The alginate-; hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose beads showed the better sustained release as compared to all other alginate polymer combinations. Regression analysis showed that the release followed zero order kinetics in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (pH 1.2).The objectives of the present work was achieved i e, formulation, evaluation and usefulness of sodium alginate mucoadhesive beads of Ramipril with different mucoadhesive Polymers. Certainly these findings can be applied for sustained delivery of drugs with Mucoadhesion.  Further these findings help the industry to scale up the commercial production.

Key words: Ramipril, Controlled release, Orifice gelation, Beads, Mucoadhesion, Oral drug delivery systems, sodium alginate.