Abstract

The purposes of this research was to development and characterize an oral, pulsutile, colon specific hydrogel beads to achieve time and/or site specific release of Salbutamol sulphate based on chronopharmaceutical approach. Emulsion internal ionotropic gelation has been suggested an alternative to as extrution/external gelation in the encapsulation of several compounds including anti asthematic drugs such as Salbutamol sulphate. Salbutamol sulphate is short acting beta-adrenergic agonists which are used only for symptomatic relief of asthma. Nocturnal asthma needs chronotherapeutic approach and Salbutamol sulphate has short half life with a bioavailability of 30-50% orally. In order to provide a oral colon specific action after predetermined lag time this was chosen as the model drug. Hydrogel beads containing Salbutamol sulphate were prepared by emulsion internal ionotropic gelation technique. Various polymers like sodium alginate and chitosan were used in different concentrations in the preparation of hydrogel beads. All the formulations were evaluated for surface morphology, particle size analysis, drug content, entrapment efficiency, swelling index , in vitro drug release was carried out in pH 1.2 buffer, pH 6.8 buffer and pH 7.4 buffer for 2 hours,3 hours and 3 hours respectively to mimic the conditions in GIT. It is concluded that hydrogel beads are the potential system for oral pulsatile colon specific delivery of Salbutamol sulphate for chronotherapy of nocturnal asthma

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