DESIGN, OPTIMISATION AND EVALUATION OF ATENOLOL FAST DISSOLVING TABLETS EMPLOYING STARCH GLUTAMATE-A NEW SUPERDISINTEGRANT

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate starch glutamate as a superdisintegrant in the formulation of fast dissolving tablets of poorly soluble drugs. Starch glutamate was synthesized by gelatinization process. The synthesized starch glutamate was subjected to physical and micromeritic evaluation. To establish as starch glutamate as a superdisintegrant, fast dissolving tablet of atenolol was prepared employing starch glutamate in different proportions in each case by direct compression method employing 23 factorial design. All fast dissolving tablets prepared were evaluated for drug content, hardness, friability, disintegration time and other dissolution characteristics like percent dissolved in 5 min (PD5), Dissolution efficiency in 5 minutes (DE5) and first order rate constant (K1).The starch glutamate prepared was found to be fine, free flowing slightly crystalline powder. Starch glutamate exhibited good swelling in water. The swelling index was 50% all micrometric properties indicated good flow and compressibility needed for solid dosage from manufacturing. All the fast dissolving tablets formulated employing starch glutamate were of good quality with regard to drug content, hardness and friability and fulfilled the official (IP/USP) requirements of compressed tablets with regard to the above mentioned physical properties. Starch glutamate was found to be a superdisintegrant which enhanced the dissolution efficiency when combined with sodium starch glycolate, crosscarmellose sodium, with the atenolol and hence it could be used in the formulation of fast dissolving tablets to provide immediate release of the contained drug within 5minutes.