ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINED RELEASE MATRIX TABLETS FOR QUETIAPINE FUMARATE: IN-VITRO STUDIES

Non-adherence to antipsychotic medications has been a major subject of trepidation in clinical practice. Our aim of the present study was to assess the sustained release matrix tablets for quetiapine fumarate with different concentrations of okra gum, aloe mucilage, tamarind gum and their combination; extracted from okra fruits, Aloe vera leaves and tamarind seeds, respectively. Matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression. Pre-compressed and post-compressed tablets were evaluated. Dissolution studies of the matrix tablets were performed using a USP dissolution apparatus-II. Kind DS software was used to analyze the release kinetics. For up to 12 h. the percentages of QF release from F6 and F7 were 55.8% and 52.9%, respectively. F6 and F7 fitted well to the Hixson-Crowell model, and the release from the matrix tablets followed erosion mechanism indicating a non-Fickian mechanism. The similarity factors (f(2)) of F6 and F7 were 66.5 and 56.33, respectively. F7 showed the best release profile. It was concluded that the okra gum exhibited good release as demonstrated by the sustained release profile of QF as compared with aloe mucilage and tamarind gum and could be improved by standardization of used polymers with special focus on okra gum.