Development and in vivo characterization of gastroretentive drug delivery system for the treatment of gastro esophageal reflux disease

Gastroretentive drug delivery system i.e. floating microspheres of an H2 receptor antagonist drug ‘famotidine’ was successfully prepared using combination of polymer as hydroxyl propyl ethyl cellulose K15M (HPMC K15M) and cellulose acetate via non-aqueous solvent evaporation (oil-in-water) technique. Famotidine loaded floating microsphere formulations were prepared by dissolving polymer in solvent mixture of acetone and ethyl acetate in which oil phase was slowly introduced and stirred well to obtain microspheres. The physicochemical properties of formulation was extensively studied such as surface morphology, particle size, percentage yield, percentage drug entrapment efficiency, swelling index, percent buoyancy and in vitro drug release studies. Anti ulcer activity of famotidine floating microspheres on swiss albino rats was found to be quite convincing regarding significant decrease in ulcer index and total acid volume as compared with standard and control group. The pH of stomach was found to be increases with a decrease in gastric acidity. It was concluded that drop in ulcer index resulting from floating microspheres of famotidine might contribute better for the gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) treatment.