Development of Floating Delivery for Solid Self Micro-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System of Prochlorperazine Maleate

Prochlorperazine maleate (PCM) is a phenothiazine antipsychotic used in the treatment of nausea, vomiting and vertigo. It is BCS class II drug with only 12.5% bioavailability. Patents data on PCM had shown work on conjugation and matrix formulation which suggested idea for the present work design.

The objective of this study was to enhance solubility of drug and to optimize gastro retentive floating capsule for controlled drug release at the targeted site for stipulated time.

The solubility of drug was determined in various vehicles like oils, surfactants and cosurfactants. Pseudo ternary phase diagrams were constructed to identify the efficient self emulsifying region. SMEDDS were tested for micro emulsifying properties. The resultant microemulsions were evaluated and were further selected for the floating drug delivery. Magnesium hydroxide was used as carrier to transform SMEDDS into Solid SMEDD (S-SMEDD). Non-effervescent floating capsule containing S-SMEDD were optimized using factorial design with independent variable HPMC K4M and ethyl cellulose.

SMEDD consists of PCM, isopropyl myristate, tween 80 and PEG 400 as a drug, oil, surfactant and co-surfactant (1:1 ratio). Optimized formulation F5 showed 10 hrs floating time and percent drug release 91.56±2.7% with controlled drug delivery in stomach. F5 followed Korsmeyer Peppas release kinetics where the drug followed Fickian diffusion transport mechanism due to swelling of polymers in controlled manner.

It can be concluded that SMEDD enhanced the solubility of drug and floating capsule gave site specific drug release of PCM with the advantages of reduced dosing frequency and better compliance.