Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Formulation and Evaluation of Tramadol HCl Matrix Tablets Using Carbopol 974P and 934 as Rate-Controlling Agents

Asim ur Rehman¹, Gul M Khan^1,2 , Kifayat U Shah¹, Shefaat U Shah¹, Kamran A Khan¹

¹Innovative Drug Delivery Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University D.I. Khan KPK, Pakistan; ²Department of Pharmacy, Quaid.i.Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Gul Khan Email: drgulmajeed@yahoo.com Tel:+00923009091688

Received: 24 May 2012 Accepted: 17 January 2013 Published: 24 April 2013

Citation: Rehman Au, Khan GM, Shah KU, Shah SU, Khan KA. Formulation and Evaluation of Tramadol HCl Matrix Tablets Using Carbopol 974P and 934 as Rate-Controlling Agents. Trop J Pharm Res 2013; 12(2):169-172 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i2.6

© 2013 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To formulate and prepare controlled release (CR) matrix tablets of tramadol HCl using Carbopol 974P and 934 polymers as rate-controlling agents.

Methods: The tablets were prepared by direct compression method using various drug to polymer (D:P) ratios. Co-excipients, including carboxymethylcellulose, starch and/or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose were also used to modulate the formulations. Various physical tests and in vitro dissolution studies were carried out on the formulations. The dissolution data were subjected to various release models.

Results: As the concentration of the polymer (rate-controlling agent) increased, dissolution rate decreased, For the formulation containing Carbopol 974P at D:P ratio of 10:7, drug release decreased to 83 % compared with the release rate of 99 % for the formulation with D:P ratio of 10:3. Kinetic analysis indicates that drug release mechanism was anomalous non-Fickian diffusion.

Conclusion: Both Carbopol 974P and 934 can be used as rate-controlling agents in the formulation of tramadol HCl CR tablets. Appropriate selection of drug/polymer ratio can be applied effectively to modulate the dissolution rate of the drug.

Keywords: Tramadol, Carbopol, Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Controlled release