• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.151-160
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• 1990

In order to develop a controlled-release oral drug delivery system (DDS) which sustains the plasma acetaminophen (AAP) concentration for a certain period of time, microporous membrane-coated tablets were prepared and evaluated in vitro. Firstly, highly water-soluble core tablet of AAP were prepared with various formulations by wet granulation and compression technique. Then the core tablets were coated with polyvinychloride (PVC) in which micronized sucrose particles were dispersed. Effect of formula compositions of core tablets and coating suspensions on the pharmaceutical characteristics such as drug release kinetics and membrane stability of the coated tablets was investigated in vitro. AAP was released from the coated tablets as a zero-order rate in a pH-independent manner. This independency of AAP release to pH change from 1.2 to 7.2 is favorable for the controlled oral drug delivery, since it will produce a constant drug release in the stomach and intestine regardless of the pH change in the GI tract. Drug release could be extended upto 10 h according to the coating condition. The release rate could be controlled by changing the formula compositions of the core tablets and coating suspensions, coat weight per each tablet, and especially PVC/sucrose ratio and particle size of the sucrose in the coating suspension. The coated tablets prepared in this study had a fairly good pharmaceutical characteristics in vitro, however, overall evaluation of the coated tablet should await in vivo absorption study in man.