Formulation, Evaluation and In-vitro Release Characteristics of Zaltoprofen Suppositories

Mucosal drug delivery technique has its own advantages of bypassing the first pass metabolism and minimizing gastric irritation possibilities. In spite being a non invasive route of administration human rectum remains to be relatively unexplored route of drug delivery. The major objective of the current study was to explore the use of different suppository bases i.e. Coca butter and different grades of polyethylene glycol bases (4000 and 6000) for the successful delivery of Zaltoprofen , an novel non steroidal anti inflammatory drug through rectal route of administration. Moreover Zaltoprofen has tendency to promote gastric ulcer making it necessary to explore safer routes of its administration. Fusion method was used for the preparation of suppositories, which were further evaluated for their physicochemical properties like weight variation, liquefaction time, melting time and in-vitro release characteristics. Suppositories of PEG 4000 showed better permeation of drug with faster dissolution rate in vitro than other formulations.