DEVELOPMENT OF A FORMULATION OF SUSTAINED-RELEASE POTASSIUM-CHLORIDE

The purpose of this work has been the designing and "in vitro" evaluation of a potassium chloride tablet using a wax matrix. Carnauba wax, stearyl alcohol and stearic acid were employed to prepare granulates at different drug/wax ratios. From dissolution kinetic studies and technological performances a 75/25 - KCl/carnauba wax granulates was selected. The rheological properties of granulates were characterized and tablets were manufactured employing commun tablets excipients. Also a coating procedure was developed. The coated tablet formulation selected release the potassium chloride according to the USP requirements. The dissolution kinetics of the potassium chloride from both coated and uncoated tablets fit the Higuchi diffusion model, giving a straight line when the amount dissolved is plotted against the square root of time.