Formulation and Evaluation of Asymmetric Membrane Mediated Osmotic Drug Delivery System of Gliclazide by Applying Taguchi’s L-8 Design

The purpose of the present study was to develop an osmotic drug delivery system for a Gliclazide by usingasymmetric membrane technology (AMT). In the study, the tablets were formulated by using ethyl cellulose andchitosan as asymmetric membrane forming polymers. The asymmetric nature of the membrane coat wasconfirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The tablets were evaluated for various parameters like averageweight, hardness, friability, assay and drug release. A zero order release was achieved in dissolution study and itwas established that the release rates were unaffected by the pH of the medium and the speed of agitation. Theethyl cellulose coated AMT delivered the drug in an efficient zero order for about 20 hrs without anypharmacopoeial non-compliance. It was also observed that the level of osmogen, level of coating polymer andthe level of pore former in the AM formulation emerged as the significant factors in the designing of an osmoticAMT. The level of plasticizer and the quenching time however did not have any effect on the formulationoutcomes. The chitosan AMT delivered the drug gliclazide in a sustained manner for about eight hours. Theresults showed that the actual and predicted values of the optimized formulation, according to the desiredresponse, are near and the Taguchi design can successfully predict the best conditions for fabricating theGliclazide AMT for modified drug delivery