FORMULATION CHARACTERIZATION AND IN-VITRO DIFFUSION STUDIES OF HERBAL EXTRACT LOADED MUCOADHESIVE BUCCAL PATCHES

The present paper deals with a novel approach in formulating and characterizing mucoadhesive buccal patches with the incorporation of herbal extract. In the present arena of Novel Drug Delivery System, delivery of drugs through buccal mucosa serves an easier method for utilization of drugs leading to reduction of dose frequencies and thereby tends to sustain the drug release. Buccal patches were prepared with herbal (Neem) extract with two polymers such as Methyl Cellulose and Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose in a respective solvent such as Ethanol with Propylene glycol as the plasticizer.  Buccal patches were successfully formulated by solvent casting technique with several concentrations of polymers and those prepared patches were characterized in terms of film thickness, film weight, colour, surface texture, folding endurance, surface pH, swelling behaviour and percentage of moisture loss. Percentage of drug content in all patches was also determined and all patches showed their significant properties upon characterization and there was uniformity in drug content for all patches. In-vitro drug diffusion studies were carried out using a dialysis membrane for four hours which signified satisfactory resuts