Formulation, in vitro, and in vivo evaluation of taste-masked oral disintegrating tablets of fexofenadine hydrochloride using semisynthetic and natural superdisintegrants

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present research work was to prepare and evaluate taste-masked oral disintegrating tablets (ODT) of Fexofenadine hydrochloride. Methods: In the present work, Eudragit EPO, a taste masking agent and Karaya gum (GK) (natural), Sodium starch glycolate, and Croscarmellose sodium (CCS) (semi-synthetic) super disintegrants in three ratios (3, 6,9%) were used. Taste masked granules were prepared by different ratios of the drug: Eudragit EPO (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2) by wet granulation method. The optimized taste-masked granules (1:2) were selected by sensory evaluation test to prepare 9 Fexofenadine ODT (FH1-FH9) formulations. These were evaluated for different parameters. Then desirability function (DF) was calculated for all formulations using disintegration time (DT), time taken for the tablet to release 90% of the drug (t 90%), and % drug dissolved in 10 min (Q10) as significant parameters. Results: The best formulation (FH6) showed the highest DF value due to less DT and 100% in vitro drug release within 15 min. Thus, FH6 formulation containing 9% CCS was selected as the best among the prepared formulations to which in vivo studies were performed on rabbits to find maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time taken to reach maximum concentration (tmax), area under the curve (AUC), rate of elimination (Kel), absorption rate (Ka) and half-life(t1/2) and compared with Fexofenadine (Allegra) marketed tablets. Total bioavailability was increased for the test formulation compared to the reference formulation. Conclusion: Fexofenadine was successfully prepared as ODT with increased AUC and decreased tmax to which stability studies were conducted which were found to be stable.