DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF SUSTAINED RELEASE TABLET OF ACYCLOVIR

Acyclovir, also known as acyclovir, is an antiviral medication. It is primarily used for the treatment of herpes simplex virus infections, chickenpox, and shingles. Other uses include the prevention of cytomegalovirus infections following transplant, and severe complications of Epstein–Barr virus infection. To develop and evaluate a sustained-release formulation of acyclovir, due to its short half life, that enhances its therapeutic efficacy, improves patient compliance, and reduces dosing frequency, by employing suitable polymers and advanced drug delivery technologies. The Main objective is to formulate acyclovir as a sustained release tablet to improve patient compliance, reduce dosing frequency, and maintain steady plasma drug levels.Comprehensive physicochemical evaluations of the formulated tablets, including hardness, friability, weight variation, drug content uniformity, and swelling index, demonstrated that all batches conformed to Pharmacopoeial specifications, ensuring the mechanical integrity and reproducibility of the dosage forms. In-vitro drug release studies were carried out in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids using USP [28] Type II dissolution apparatus. Formulations exhibited variable release profiles depending on the polymer composition and concentration, with optimized batches achieving sustained drug release over a 12-hour period, closely aligning with the desired release kinetics.