Formulation Development and Evaluation of Pantoprazole Enteric Coated Tablets

s: Pantoprazole 5-(difluoromethoxy)2-[(3,4-dimethoxypyridin-2-yl) methylsulfinyl]3H-benzoimidazole is a proton pump inhibitor belongs to group of benzimidazole . This compound inhabits gastric acid formation and there by it is very efficient for the treatment of gastric and duodenum ulcers. In aqueous media more acidic than pH 4 it suffers a practically complete decomposition within a period shorter than 10 minutes. Even in solid state it is sensitive to heat, humidity, light and especially to substances containing an acidic group. Pantoprazole which have an irritant effect on the stomach, can be coated with a substance that will only dissolve in the small intestine. For such types of drugs, enteric coating added to the formulation tends to avoid the stomach's acidic exposure, delivering them instead to a basic pH environment (intestines pH 5.5 and above) where they do not degrade, and give their desired action. This stumulate us to formulate and evaluate pantoprazole as a enteric coated tablet. Key-words: Pantoprazole, Enteric Coated, Development and Evaluation.