DESIGN AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PRESS COATED TABLETS OF ACECLOFENAC FOR PULSATILE DELIVERY

An oral press-coated tablet was developed by means of direct compression to achieve the time-controlled disintegrating or rupturing function with a distinct predetermined lag time. The aim of the present study is to develop time depended drug delivery systems for Aceclofenac by using HPMC K100M and ethylcellulose (EC) as coating material. By applying 3² full factorial design, compression coated tablets of Aceclofenac containing different proportions of EC and HPMC K100M was prepared.  All the formulations were evaluated for the hardness, friability, thickness, weight variation, drug content uniformity, and in-vitro drug release studies for 8 hr. Press coated tablets of Aceclofenac released different amount of the Aceclofenac, within the 8hr dissolution study, in the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine, depending on the proportion of EC: HPMC K100M used in the formulation. The compression coated formulations have been formulated to release minimum amount of Aceclofenac within 6 hr dissolution study in the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine. The results of the dissolution study showed that compression coated tablet Fp4 with EC: HPMC K100M is most likely to provide time-controlled disintegrating or rupturing function with a distinct predetermined lag time.