The purpose of the present study was to formulate and evaluate the controlled release mucoadhesive microbeads of pantoprazole sodium for intestinal delivery. Microencapsulation is an accepted process, used to achieve controlled release and targeting of drugs. Intestinal residence time of the dosage form can be prolonged by mucoadhesion, which increases bioavailability by facilitating the intimate contact of the dosage form with the underlying absorption surface. Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used in the treatment of gastric ulcers and gastro-esophageal diseases. Pantoprazole is to be made absorbed in the intestine as it is unstable under the acidic gastric environment, thus mandating enteric delivery. Pantoprazole has a short biological half-life of 1h, which makes it a suitable candidate for sustained delivery so as to achieve prolonged therapeutic action and to reduce peak and valley effect in plasma drug concentration. Pantoprazole microbeads were prepared using Sodium Alginate and mucoadhesive polymers like Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium, Methylcellulose and Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose by orifice-ionic gelation method followed by coating with Eudragit S-100. The prepared microbeads were characterized in terms of their morphology, particle size, encapsulation efficiency, swelling ratio, in-vitro wash-off mucoadhesion test and ability of the formulation to withstand acidic media during its transit in stomach. Different formulation variables like polymer-polymer ratio, drug-polymer ratio and coating concentration were considered. Dissolution study was carried in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Most of the beads formulated were spherical with sufficient swelling, mucoadhesive and acid resistant properties. The drug release was also found to be slow and extended upto 12h.
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