Development of Controlled Release Floating Beads of Ibuprofen using Ionotropic Gelation Technique

The floating beads of ibuprofen were developed to provide controlled release in stomach. The beads were developed by ionotropic gelation of low methoxy pectin with calcium ions. The drug loading was kept at 25, 50 and 75 %w/w of low methoxy pectin (LMP). Sesame oil was used to provide floating characteristic in 10, 20 and 30 %w/w of (LMP). The beads were cross-linked with 2, 4 and 10 %w/v CaCl2 solution and further coated with 1 %w/v solution of deacetylated chitosan in 3 %w/v acetic acid. The interaction of low methoxy pectin with calcium ions and deacetylated chitosan was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The in-vitro buoyancy studies were carried in pH 1.2 buffer. The polymeric beads containing 20 and 30 %w/v oil showed excellent floating while beads containing 10 %w/v oil were found to be non-floating. The dissolution studies were carried in pH 1.2 buffer, pH 1.2 buffer containing 1% SLS and pH 6.8 phosphate buffer. A significantly low amount of drug release was observed in pH 1.2 buffer due to limited solubility of obuprofen in acidic media and faster drug release was observed in pH 6.8 phosphate buffer. A faster drug release was observed in pH 1.2 buffer containing sodium lauryl sulphate.