Formulation and Evaluation of Controlled Release Matrix Tablet of A Model Antibiotic Drug

The concept of controlled release tablet can be utilized to provide a long lasting and more reliable release of drug in GIT to ultimately develop a once daily formulation. Thus, they prolong the dosing intervals, but also increase patient compliance beyond the level of existing conventional dosage forms. Erythromycin, macrolide antibiotics is used in the treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections, Chlamydial infections, etc. It is a drug with short biological half-life 1.5 hrs and dosing frequency more than one per day which makes it an ideal candidate for controlled release. The present investigation was planned to formulate the Erythromycin stearate once daily controlled release tablets. The tablets were prepared by direct compression method and were subjected for in vitro drug release studies. The mechanism of drug release was determined using various kinetic models. The results revealed that all the formulated tablets had acceptable physical properties and showed release up to 24 hrs. The kinetic studies revealed that all the formulations followed Zero order release kinetics. The tablets were prepared by Direct Compression technique and evaluated for various parameters. The optimized formulation contains Erythromycin Stearate as active ingredient, HPMC K15M, Chitosan and Xanthan gum as rate retarding polymers.