Design and In Vitro Evaluation of Pentoxifylline- Polyelectrolyte Complex Tablets

The study evaluates the possibility of using polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) in the form of mucoadhesive matrix tablets to achieve a prolonged drug release profile of Pentoxifylline suitable for peroral administration. PECs were formed by different ratios and combination of polymers (chitosan–alginate, chitosan-carbopol and chitosan– carrageenan) and were dried by lyophilisation. Characterization was performed by Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) studies. The tablets were formulated by direct compression method. The influence of polymer ratio on drug release was studied by swelling index and dissolution studies and ex-vivo studies gave the bioadhesive strength. The formulation were subjected to accelerated stability testing as per ICH guidelines. The release data were examined kinetically. All the lyophilized PECs had some degree of prolonged release properties. The chitosan-carbopol complex matrices CC4 and CC3 were the best candidates compared to the other systems in prolonging the drug release profile of Pentoxifylline.