FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF RANITIDINE SEMISOLID MATRIX CAPSULE BY LIQUID FILLING TECHNOLOGY

The aim of the present study was formulation and development of Ranitidine capsules by liquid filling technology in order to improve its dissolution properties and thereby its bioavailability. Ranitidine falls under histamine H2-receptor antagonist, a drug used to block the action of histamine on parietal cells in the stomach, decreasing acid production by these cells. Antagonists at Histamine H2-receptor are used in the treatment of dyspepsia; however their use has waned since the advent of the more effective proton pump inhibitors. Similar to the H1-antihistamines, the H2 antagonists are inverse agonists rather than true receptor antagonists. Excipients like polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400), propylene glycol (PG), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30), antioxidants, ethanol, and purified water were used for formulation. These prepared formulations were evaluated for appearance, pH, viscosity, drug content percentage, stability, and in vitro dissolution studies. The compatibility between the drug and excipients in formulations was confirmed by FTIR spectra. The drug contents were in the range of 99.62-99.63 and the viscosity was in the range of 60.9–591.7 cps with all the formulations developed.