Formulation and Evaluation of Floating Sustain Release Pellets of Anti Gout Drug

Objective: The objective of this investigation was to formulate and evaluate effervescent pellets of febuxostat to achieve sustain release effect.

Place and Duration of Study: APMC College of Pharmaceutical education and research, Department of Pharmaceutics, Himatnagar-383001, between June 2019 and July 2021.

Materials and Methods: The gastro retentive effervescent pellets of febuxostat were formulated using Sodium CMC and HPMC K4M and HPMCK15M as a sustain release polymer. Pellets were prepared by extrusion- spheronization technique using microcrystalline cellulose as spheronizing agent and sodium bicarbonate and citric acid as a gas forming agent for effervescent pellets. The pellets were characterized with respect to their floating lag time, total buoyancy time and % cumulative drug release.

Results and Discussion: DSC study showed that there was no change in the melting endotherm of the drug and drug-polymers mixture which means drug and polymers were compatible with each other. The optimized formulation B14 exhibits a floating lag time 4.00±0.004 sec. and cumulative % drug release at 12th hour 99.58±0.02. Scanning electron microscopy photomicrograph revealed that the surface was rough and pellets were spherical shaped in nature.

Conclusion: Febuxostat sustain release pellets was successfully formulated and evaluated as effervescent pellets with gas former agents and sustain release polymer HPMC K15.