CONTROLLED DELIVERY OF METFORMIN: FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT AND IN-VITRO CHARACTERIZATION OF MATRIX TABLETS USING NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC POLYMERS

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that has become increasingly evident, necessitating more stable and continuous therapeutic monitoring. Metformin Hydrochloride, being the primary treatment choice in type II Diabetes, presents certain limitations like improper GI absorption and the need for multiple dosing. Controlled drug delivery proves to be a better option in such conditions to provide an uninterrupted treatment. The present study is based on the development of oral controlled matrix tablets of Metformin. Plant-derived gums like Gum Okra, Gum Moringa, Gum Xanthan were extracted suitably and used as release controlling agents individually and in combination with Eudragit RL 100 in varying proportions. EC was employed to form a secondary backing layer. Thirteen formulations with polymers in different ratios were developed using the Wet granulation technique. The physicochemical properties of the prepared matrix tablets were found to be satisfactory. In-vitro release studies were performed in simulated media, 0.1 N HCl and Phosphate buffer, pH 6.8 and results have shown that formulation F11 containing Gum Moringa and Eudragit RL-100 (2:1 ratio) and EC layer exhibited the desired release of 99.46% ±0.75 throughout 24 h. Kinetic modelling of the dissolution data has shown that the drug release from the formulations followed Zero-order kinetics and shows the best fit to the Korsmeyer/Peppas model, representing the diffusion mechanism of drug release. The formulations were also found to be stable over the accelerated study period.