Abstract

FORMULATION AND IN – VITRO EVALUATION OF FLOATING HYDROGEL BEADS OF NIMODIPINE

Sangi Pusphalatha*

ABSTRACT

Floating drug delivery systems (FDDS) are those systems which have a bulk density less than gastric fluids and because of these systems remains buoyant (3-4 hours) for a prolonged period of time in the stomach without affecting the gastric emptying rate. Based on the mechanism of buoyancy, two distinctly different technologies have been utilized in the development of FDDS, which are effervescent system and non – effervescent system. Effervescent systems include use of gas generating agents, carbonates (Sodium bicarbonate) and other organic acid (Citric acid and Tartaric acid) to produce carbon dioxide gas, thus reducing the density of the system and making it to float on the gastric fluid.

Keywords: Effervescent systems, Floating drug delivery systems (FDDS), buoyancy.