DEVELOPMENT OF PROMETHAZINE MUCOADHESIVE TABLETS FOR BUCCAL DELIVERY: IN VITRO, EX VIVO AND IN VIVO CHARACTERIZATION

  Promethazine Hydrochloride (PMZ), a low bioavailabe drug, used for the management of emesis. The purpose of the present investigation was to develop buccoadhesive tablets for PMZ and to evaluate for their physicochemical, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo parameters. Ex vivo drug permeation through porcine buccal membrane from the drug solution was conducted to know the permeation characteristics of the PMZ. The controlled-release PMZ tablets were produced by direct compression method using Sodium CMC and Carbopol 934P as mucoadhesive polymers and evaluated for in vitro drug release, in vitro bioadhesion, in vivo residence time, swelling and erosion studies, surface pH, ex vivo drug permeation through porcine buccal membrane from the optimized buccal tablet (F10) and stability studies. Formulation F10 showed maximum drug release (96.3 %) in 6 h, with the Higuchi model release profile and permeated 49.8 % of the drug with flux 1.45 mg h–1cm–2 through porcine buccal membrane. The optimized formulation showed peak detachment force (1.64 N), work of adhesion (0.36 mJ), in vivo residence time (287 min), swelling index (204%), erosion (53.1%) and surface pH (6.92). In vivo mucoadhesive behaviour of the optimized formulations was studied in healthy human volunteers and subjective parameters were evaluated. The stability of the optimized formulation was studied and no significant changes were detected in drug content and in vitro release after 6 months. PMZ mucoadhesive tablets for buccal delivery could be prepared with required permeation, bioadhesive and in vivo residence properties.