Design and Evaluation of Cost Effective Orodispersible Tablets of Diethylcarbamazine Citrate by Effervescent Method

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to develop orodispersible tablets of diethylcarbamazine citrate (an anthelmintic) for improving patient compliance, especially, those of paediatric and geriatric categories with difficulties in swallowing, with the prime objective of arriving at cost effective product by effervescent method. Methods: In the effervescent method mixture of sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid along with treated agar were used as disintegrants. The prepared batches of tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, drug content uniformity, in vitro dispersion time. Results: The tablet formulation containing 16% w/w treated agar, 15% w/w sodium bicarbonate and 15% w/w tartaric acid emerged as the overall best formulation (with an in vitro dispersion time of approximately 55 s, t50% = 9.24 min and t70% = 18.12 min), based on the in vitro drug release characteristics, compared to commercial conventional tablet formulation (which shows 16.48 and 29.24 min respectively for t50% and t70%). Short-term stability studies (at 40±2/75±5% relative humidity) on the best formulation indicated that there are no significant changes in drug content and in vitro dispersion time (p<0.05). IR-spectroscopic studies indicated that there are no drug–excipient interactions. Conclusions: The present study clearly demonstrates that orodispersible tablets of diethylcarbamazine citrate could be successfully prepared by direct compression method in a cost effective manner employing treated agar. The use of effervescent mixture further assists in taste masking. Undoubtedly the availability of various technologies and the manifold advantages of orodispersible tablets will surely enhance the patient compliance providing rapid onset of action.