Formulation and Evaluation of Extended Release Tablets of Alfuzosin Hydrochloride

The purpose of this work was to develop extended-release matrix tablets of highly water-soluble alfuzosin hydrochloride using different viscosity grades of Hydrxy propyl methyl cellulose polymers by wet granulation method. The influence of three granulating fluids viz. water, dichloromethane: ethanol and isopropyl alcohol on release rate of alfuzosin hydrochloride were studied with a view to design and development of once daily formulations of alfuzosin hydrochloride. The tablets were analysed to determine their hardness, friability, drug content and an in vitro release study was carried out. The dissolution profile indicated that the drug release was found to be influenced by the polymer and granulating fluid employed in the formulation. Based on release rate the polymers can be rated as HPMC K100M > HPMC K15M> HPMC K4M. Based on the dissolution rate the granulating fluids can be rated as water>dichloromethane: ethanol> isopropyl alcohol. The dissolution profiles followed first order kinetics and the mechanism of drug release was governed by peppas model. The n values are found to be more than 0.5 (n>0.5) indicted that the drug release was predominantly controlled by non fickian diffusion. Thus this study clearly indicates that Alfuzosin hydrochloride tablets formulated with HPMC K100M polymer by employing water as granulating fluid is more suitable to design the extended release formulation of alfuzosin hydrochloride matrix tablets for 24 hours.