An In-vitro Study for Mucoadhesion and Control Release Properties of Guar Gum and Chitosan in Itraconazole Mucoadhesive Tablets

This study describes the effect of Guar gum and chitosan on formulation of mucoadhesive drug delivery system of itraconazole. Mucoadhesive strength, Drug content, Hardness, Friability, Weight variation, Moisture content and accelerated stability studies were performed to study the effect of polymers on prepared mucoadhesive tablets. Results of the present study clarified the potential of guar gum and chitosan in mucoadhesion and control release of itraconazole tablets. Both polymers i.e. Chitosan and guar gum were helpful for controlling the drug release in better way when used in proper combinations. When result of mucoadhesion was checked guar gum gives more mucoadhesive strength to the prepared tablets as compared to chitosan. Accelerated stability studies were performed on prepared formulations, results indicates that the formulations were stable that mince excipients used in the formulations were stable and are not causing major changes in drug release pattern after a period of 6 months. From above mentioned work it can be concluded that combination of Chitosan and guar gum is better and effective approach to have controlled mucoadhesive drug delivery system of Itraconazole. INTRODUCTION: In recent years the interest in bioadhesion has been inspired by the development of novel bioadhesive polymers for mucosal delivery . Bioadhesive, or more precise mucoadhesive drug delivery systems are aimed to adhere to various mucosal tissues . The localisation of mucoadhesive delivery systems within a certain GI-segment, ideally where the drug has its absorption window, would lead to a tremendous improvement in the oral bioavailability of these drugs . The absorption of riboflavin, for instance, which has its absorption window in the stomach, as well as the small intestine, could be strongly improved in human volunteers by oral administration of mucoadhesive microspheres versus non-adhesive microspheres . Gastrointestinal retention depends on many factors such as density of the dosage form, size of the dosage form, fasting and fed condition, nature of the meal taken, sleep, posture, etc. It also depends strongly on a complicated and unpredictable gastric emptying with migrating myoelectric complex motility of the stomach . Various delivery systems like floating, swellable, mucoadhesive, high density formulations, etc., have been developed to achieve gastroretention . Itraconazole, being triazole antifungal, is used to contol the prophylaxis of fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with doses of 100-200 mg administered 2 to 3 times a day. Itraconazole is practically insoluble in water, very slightly soluble in alcohol and freely soluble in dichloromethane .