Formulation and Evaluation of Metformin Hydrochloride Floating Tablets

Using Gum Kondagogu

R.Ramya sree.,K.Sushma., M.Kishore Babu., T.E.G.K.Murthy
Department of Pharmaceutics
Bapatla College of Pharmacy, Bapatla-522101, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The present investigation is focused on the improvement of absorption and bio

availability of Metformin Hydrochloride along with sustained action .To meet the above
criteria gastro retentive effervescent floating tablets of Metformin Hydrochloride were
formulated. Hydrophilic polymer Gum Kondagogu was selected as key excipient
.Effervescent type floating tablets were prepared by wet granulation technique. The
obtained wet granules were dried at 500C .The granules were passed through sieve no: 16
lubricated and compressed using Cadmach 16 station tablet machine. The formulated
floating tablets were subjected to various physical tests and in vivo evaluation studies.
The hardness of the floating tablet ranged between 8.0kg/cm2 to 8.8kg/cm2.The thickness
of tablet ranged from 4.1mm to 5mm .The percent friability of prepared tablets was well
with in acceptable limit .All the formulations have desired floating lag time(<4) and total
floating between 8-10hrs regardless of concentration of gum .The tensile strength of
formulations were found to be 0.0101-0.108NM-2 .The specific gravity of the formulated
tablets were found in between 0.439-0.486 and density was found to be <1 . The drug
content was found to be in the range of 499.3mg to 499.8mg. The drug release followed
zero order kinetics and governed by predominant nonfickian diffusion (slope<0.5). It was
also observed that the release rate was found to be influenced by the polymer
employed .Good correlation was observed in between the polymer and release rate
constant .Invivo studies were conducted on rabbits and radiographic images were taken..
The radiographic images revealed that the tablet did not adhere to the gastric mucosa at
4th hr and 6th hr. The tablet disappeared from the stomach after 6th hr .This experimental
design product development and optimization procedure yielded the desired floating
tablets with more efficiency then those of single dosage forms with the added advantage
by floating in gastric juice producing prolonged slow release.