Barium Ions Crosslinked Alginate and Sterculia Gum-Based Gastroretentive Floating Drug Delivery System for Use in Peptic Ulcers

The gastro-retentive drug delivery system is required to improve the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of the drugs used for the diseases associated with the stomach. Both sterculia gum and alginate enhance the repair of mucosal damage in the GI tract and pantoprazole is a therapeutic agent for GI tract ulcers. Ionotropic gelation of these polysaccharides for the release of pantoprazole will develop the double potential drug delivery systems. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt has been made to synthesize a gastro-retentive floating drug delivery system by simultaneous ionotropic gelation of alginate and sterculia gum using BaCl2 as a crosslinker. The beads have been characterized by SEMs, EDAX, and FTIR analysis. The swelling of beads has been carried out as a function of pH of the swelling media. In addition, in vitro release dynamics of an anti-ulcer model drug pantoprazole from drug-loaded beads in different release media have been carried out for the evaluation of the drug release mechanism and diffusion coefficients. Release of drug from beads occurred through a Fickian-type diffusion mechanism. The present drug delivery sytem may have a double potential, first due to the therapeutic importance of the sterculia–alginate-based polymer matrix and second, release of pantoprazole in a controlled and sustained manner.