Hydroxypropyl cellulose/Polyvinylpyrrolidone Matrix Tablets Containing Ibuprofen: Infiltration, Erosion and Drug Release Characteristics

The current study aims to prepare the matrix tablet including polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and poorly water‐soluble ibuprofen (IBU) and to investigate the effect of varying polymer compositions on infiltration of the aqueous medium, erosion kinetics, swelling and drug release. Swelling, infiltration and erosion studies were performed gravimetrically at pH 7.4 at 37±0.1 °C. Drug release experiments were carried out at 37± 0.1 °C with 50 rpm in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4). The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on drug release as an anionic surfactant was also investigated. Hixson‐Crowell kinetic model was found to best fit for matrix tablet in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) for HPC80‐IBU100‐PVP20 and ibuprofen release % was observed as 99.5 within 24 hours. Weibull model showed that HPC80‐IBU100‐PVP20 matrix provided slower drug release and the highest time values (t50%=7.3 h and t90%=17.3 h) were obtained. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques were used in the characterization studies. This article reports to prepare the tablet matrices involving polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxypropyl cellulose and ibuprofen and to investigate the effect of varying polymer compositions on infiltration, erosion kinetics, swelling and drug release at pH 7.4. In the light of the gravimetric and drug release experiments, it was concluded that a gel layer formed as a result of the swelling of the matrix tablet, which provides a diffusion resistant layer and has an advantage for regulating drug release, i. e. a slower and prolonged drug release.