Sustained release of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs from a floating dosage form

Floating dosage forms enable the sustained delivery of drugs in the gastro-intestinal tract. In this study, a type of multi-unit floating gel bead was synthesized with calcium alginate, sunflower oil, and a drug of interest through an emulsification/gelation process. The alginate beads with oil addition were able to continuously float over the medium for 24 h under constant agitation while the non-oily beads could not. Three kinds of drugs with different hydrophilicities, ibuprofen, niacinamide and metoclopramide HCl, were tested in the study. The hydrophobic drug ibuprofen was released in a sustained manner for 24 h, due to the oil partitioning. With suitable modification, the beads were able to also release the hydrophilic drugs, niacinamide and metoclopramide HCl, for a similar duration. Therefore a floating dosage form that is able to sustain release both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs within its extended gastric retention time has been developed.