Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System of Famotidine: Formulation and In Vitro Evaluation of Oil Entrapped Calcium Pectinate Gel Beads

The present research was envisaged to prepare gastroretentive beads to increase the retention time in stomach and to modulate the release pattern from the gel beads. The aim of the research work to study the compatibility between drug and other polymers by differential scanning calorimetric analysis, preparation of cod liver oil entrapped calcium pectinate gel beads of famotidine by emulsion gelation method and its evaluation. The gel beads were prepared by employing low methoxy pectin with degree of esterification less than 50% alone and with hydrophilic co polymers carbopol 934P, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K15M and polycarbophil to study the effect of these co polymers on drug release. The prepared gel beads were subjected for various evaluations like topographical study of whole and dissected bead, percent drug entrapment efficiency, buoyancy and in vitro drug release study in conventional and modified flow through dissolution methods. The prepared beads showed ideal buoyancy, low methoxy pectin gel matrix could not sustain the drug release and presence of co polymers demonstrated sustained release. These observations suggested that cod liver oil entrapped calcium pectinate beads were promising as a carrier for intragastric floating drug delivery of famotidine.