Pellets

The study was undertaken with an aim to improve the efficacy and reduce the adverse effect of drug, by combination therapy of  Diltiazem HCL and Quercetin dihydrate. In the present research 22 formulations were developed using design expert software with response surface methodology. In which the effect of superdisintegrant, type of superdisintegrant, effect of diluents, formation of solid dispersion studied for their in vitro release  from pellets. The result depicted that the formulation containing superdisintegrant crospovidone, diluent lactose and presence of surfactant  showed good disintegration time and in vitro drug release. Key words: Diltiazem HCL, Quercetin, Pellets, Immediate release

Oral pelletized drug delivery system gives more advantageous biopharmaceutical result in compared to single-unit dosage forms, like better distribution and transportation in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In the pharmaceutical industries many techniques are available for pelletization such as solution layering, suspension layering or powder layering, cryopelletization, freeze pelletization, spray congealing, extrusion-spheronization (ES), hot-melt extrusion process. ES technique is very acceptable and it has gained more attention because of its simplicity and fast processing. This technique is widely applied for the production of oral sustained release, controlled release drug delivery system and it also overcome the problems related to bioavailability and site specific drug delivery system. This review article discuss about the aspects of ES technique with their different steps involved in the process of pellets production. We also discussed about the factors which can influence the pellet quality and methods for evaluation of the quality of pellets.

  Pelletization is a novel drug delivery system; a technique which converts fine powder particles into pellets. These oral multiparticulate drug-delivery systems offer biopharmaceutical advantages with respect to predictable and even distribution and transportation in the gastro-intestinal tract. It has many advantages compared to single-unit dosage forms for ease of filling, better flow properties of spherical pellets, sustained, controlled or site-specific drug delivery, even distribution in the GI tract, less GI irritation, good bioavailability, ease of coating and uniform packing. Pelletization is easier and simple technique compared to granulation in order to develop a site-specific drug delivery system. There are different techniques in the preparation of pellets for a drug which includes hot-melt extrusion, extrusion spheronization, spray drying, spray congealing, roto granulation and drug layering. This article is divided into introduction containing the definition of Pelletization and its need, second part includes the preparation of pellets and the two most widely used methods; extrusion-spheronization and hot-melt techniques, third part includes advantages, problems faced during pelletization and the final part consists of the importance of pelletization over granulation. This multiparticulate drug delivery system can be used in formulations requiring immediate as well as prolonged release. Hence they can be formulated for chewable and disintegrating tablets1. Key words: Pelletization, Multiparticulate drug delivery system, Novel drug delivery system, Pellets, Granulation.