Formulation and evaluation of alginate microbeads of ondansetron by ionotropic gelation technique

Abstract

Ondansetron is an anti emetic agent for the treatment of nasia and vomiting and also used chemotheraphy in cancer. Ondansetron drug is 5ht3 receptor antagonist. it has shorter biological half-life (3 – 4 hrs) necessitates that it to be administered in frequent doses of 4mg. The main objective of this study was to develop suitable micro particulate system of ondansetron for controlled release delivery system by varying the alginate, CaCl2 and HPMC concentrations. In the present work ondansetron microbeads were formulated using sodium alginate by ionotropic gelation technique. Prepared beads were evaluated for granulometric studies, micromeretic, scanning electron microscopy, drug entrapment efficiency and in-vitro dissolution studies  etc. The prepared beads  were free flowing and white in colour. The drug loaded beads showed 84.6–98.2 % drug entrapment, which was found to increase with increase in sodium alginate concentration. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the beads were spherical and rough in structure. In vitro drug release study of these microbeads indicated controlled release for ondansetron 85.54 – 97.2 % released. Hence the observation of all results of the different batches third and fourth showed controlled release action and improved drug availability. The release of ondansetron was found to be affected by both concentration of polymers such as sodium alginate and HPMC. By the observation of accelerated stability studies second batch formulation was found to be best formulation. From this study, it could be concluded that the spherical and free flowing microbeads of ondansetron could be successfully prepared by ionotropic gelation technique with high entrapment efficiency and prolonged release characteristics.