Title:Chronopharmacokinetic Evaluation of Budesonide Multiparticulate Systems
VOLUME: 11 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Sowjanya Battu, Prasanna R. Yalavarthi*, Venkata S.R. Gopireddy, Uma M.R. Vattikuti, Jyothshna Devi and Harini C. Vadlamudi
Affiliation:Department of Pharmaceutics, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, 501401, Pharmaceutics Division, Sri Padmavathi School of Pharmacy, 517503, Tirupati, Department of Chemistry, JNTUA College of Engineering, 516390, Pulivendula, Department of Pharmaceutics, CMR College of Pharmacy, Hyderabad, 501401, Department of Pharmaceutics, PES College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, 560050, Sri Padmavathi School of Pharmacy, Tiruchanur, Tirupati, IN-517503
Keywords:Corticosteroids, fluidized-bed processor, ionized-polymer, lag-phase, pellets, solution-layering.
Abstract:Background: Poor oral absorption of budesonide limits the design of its solid oral dosage
form. With this context, multiparticulate pulsatile system of budesonide for chronotherapy of nocturnal
asthma was aimed in this study.
Methods: Initially, solid dispersions of budesonide (BD) using sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and
guar gum (GG) were developed and characterized. Uniform sized non-pareil seeds (~400 µm) were
coated with solid dispersions to obtain immediate (BMP) and controlled release pellets by solution
layering technique. Rationale of selection of BD in this research was based on recent patents such as
diltiazem HCl (US5914134) and multipar-ticulate systems (US5017381). Pulsatile drug release pellets
(BMPP) of BD were obtained by coating the controlled release pellets with Eudragit L100 and RS
100. Pellets were assessed by saturation sol-ubility, FTIR, DSC, micromeritic, SEM, drug content,
drug release, pharmacokinetic and stability studies.
Results: Solubility of BD was increased by 22 folds due to inter-particle distribution of BD and polymers
in solid dispersions. No changes in characteristic functional groups of BD had indicated the
compatibility of drug with polymers as noticed in FTIR and DSC. Fluidized bed processor enabled the
production of spherical and uniformly distributed pellets with optimum angle of repose (12-19°) and
friability (<1%). Solution layering technique employed in preparation of pellets had facilitated with
moderately high BD content (91.5-99.6%) and 100% drug release at the end of 12hr. The pulsatile release
pellets (BMPP) produced 6hr lag phase followed by 12hr controlled release. Promised pharmacokinetics
was resulted as Cmax of 380ng/ml for BMP-2 and 162ng/ml for BMPP-5 and Tmax of 5 hr
for BMP-2 and 12hr for BMPP-5. Increased pharmacokinetics was the direct results of increased solubility
of BD due to application of solid dispersion and solution layering on pellets.
Conclusions: Chronopharmacokinetics of BD were achieved with the help of Eudragit coatings on
pellets. The BMP and BMPP formulations were found to be reasonably stable over a period of time.
Thus, optimal chronopharmacokinetics of BD was achieved successfully by multiparticulate pulsatile
technology.