Gastric Floating Microcapsules of Metformin HCl: Methods, Evaluation and Applications

Despite tremendous advancement in the drug delivery, oral route remains the preferred route for drug administration because of low cost therapy and ease of administration leads to higher levels of patient compliance. Metformin HCl, which is an antihyperglycaemic agent widely, used in the management of NIDDM, gives low bioavailability problem due to its site absorption limitations. Although, metformin extended release tablet formulations were well established, but it causes a great fluctuations in plasma drug levels and fail to improve the bioavailability. But microcapsule formulation offer several advantages over other sustained release systems, especially matrix type tablets; as they can be widely distributed throughout the GI tract and produce local high concentration of drug at the absorption site. Henceforth, the designing of floating microcapsules would be a suitable delivery system for metformin with a new choice of an economical, safe and more bioavailable formulation in the management of NIDDM. This book represents a unique attempt to overview the full range of approaches to the design of a dosage form for gastric retention of drug with absorption limitation problems.

Bipul Nath, M.Pharm, Ph.D (persuing): Studied Pharmaceutical Technology at Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh (Assam). Assistant Professor (with five years of teaching experience) at Girijananda Group of Institutions, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, affiliated to Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India.