Natural Polysaccharides as Film Former: a Feasibility Study for Development of Rapid Dissolving Films of Ondansetron Hydrochloride

Ondansetron is a highly selective serotonin (5-HT3) receptor blocker which inhibits serotonin to bind with serotonin 5-HT3 receptors and hence prevent the vomiting reflex induced by serotonin. This work aimed to develop rapid dissolving films of ondansetron for the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. Rapid dissolving films were prepared by solvent casting method using pullulan PI 20 as film former and PG and tween 80 as plasticizer. Bitterness of Ondansetron was masked by forming inclusion complex with HPβ-CD. The complex was evaluated by XRD, DSC and FT-IR. Optimized films were evaluated for mechanical properties, surface pH and dissolution characteristics. The combination of pullulan PI 20 and PG:tween 80 and xanthan gum exhibited excellent mechanical properties (Tensile strength 6.1 N/mm2), drug content (96.6 %) and disintegrating time (14 sec). The research work done here suggested the exciting possibility of ondansetron as rapid dissolving Film.