Mucoadhesion, Swelling and Drug Release Characteristics of Hydroxypropylcellulose/Carbopol Solid Dispersions

히드록시프로필셀룰로오스/카르보폴 고체분산체의 점막부착성과 팽윤 및 약물방출특성

Some mucoadhesive polymers such as hydroxypropylcelluose (HPC) and carbopol-934 (CP) have been employed for the preparation of mucoadhesive polymeric systems, and their physical properties including mucoadhesion, swelling, and drug release were evaluated. A new simple experimental technique that can quantitatively measure the bioadhesive properties of various polymeric systems has been developed by the methods of detachment force test. As the polymeric systems, the discs of freeze-dried HPC/CP solid dispersions were prepared. The mucosa used in these tests were upper, middle, and lower parts of small intestine of male rats weighing $300{\sim}350\;g$. Detachment forces were increased as the mole fraction of CP increased in discs of HPC/CP solid dispersions. In the points of intestinal site dependence of mucoadhesion, the solid dispersions revealed non-specific mucoadhesion to the intestine. Swelling and drug release characteristics of mucoadhesive polymeric systems were studied extensively to find out the feasibility for the oral controlled delivery systems. Swelling ratio, expressed as the final height/initial height, has been determined in various pH buffer solutions. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) was employed as a model drug for release study. Apparent swelling and drug release rate constants, $K_s$ and $K_r$ respectively, were obtained from the square-root time plot of either swelling ratio or released amount of drug, particularly for the time periods before reaching the equilibrium. As a result, the swelling ratio of HPC/CP solid dispersions was increased as the weight percentage of CP increased. Similarly, the release of HCT from the solid dispersions was dependent on pH changes and CP contents, resulted in the slower release of HCT with the increases of pH and CP contents.