J. Chauhan

Presently pharmaceutical industries are focusing on development of sustained release formulations due to its inherent boons. Sustained release dosage forms are designed to release a drug at a predetermined rate by maintaining a constant drug level for a specific period of time with minimum side effects. The basic rationale of sustained release drug delivery system optimises the biopharmaceutical, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of a drug in such a way that its utility is maximized, side-effects are reduced and cure of the disease is achieved. There are several advantages of sustained release drug delivery over conventional dosage forms like improved patient compliance due to less frequent drug administration, reduction of fluctuation in steady-state drug levels, maximum utilisation of the drug, increased safety margin of potent drug, reduction in healthcare costs through improved therapy and shorter treatment period. Sustained release products are designed to bring the blood level of a drug immediately to therapeutic concentrations by means of an initial dose portion called loading dose and then sustain this level for a certain predetermined time with the maintenance portion. The basic goal of sustained release is provide promising way to decrease the side effect of drug by preventing the fluctuation of the therapeutic concentration of the drug in the body and increase patient compliance by reducing frequency of dose. Key Words: Oral sustained release system, Matrix tablet, Patient compliance, Half-life

  Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, classified in the Biopharmaceutics Drug Classification system as a Class II drug with low solubility and high permeability. It demonstrates a slow and gradual absorption via the oral route and has a long half-life of elimination, rendering a prolonged therapeutic action and a delayed onset of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. The basic objective of the present study is to formulate and evaluate the fast dissolving tablet of Piroxicam. Study proposes the use of a Sodium Satrch Glycolate (SSG) alone to prepare solid dispersion of piroxicam and comparison of its in-vitro dissolution with pure piroxicam. Fast Dissolving tablets can be prepared by conventional direct compression method using solid dispersion of superdisintegrants which shows rapid rate of disintegration. For better Hardness, less friability, faster wetting time and less moisture uptake combination of both MCC and Mannitol are required in the formulation.   Key Words: Fast dissolving tablet, Piroxicam, Sodium starch Glycolate (SSG)