Formulation and Pharmacokinetics of Flurbiprofen Sublimated Fast Dissolving Tablets

Present study efforts are focusing to develop the flurbiprofen fast dissolving tablets using sublimation method to enhance the dissolution rate. In this study an attempt was made to fasten the drug release from the oral tablets by incorporating the sublimating agents in the presence of crosspovidone as superdisintegrant and studied the effect on dissolution rate when compared to conventional tablets. In the present study, sublimated fast dissolving tablets were prepared by direct compression method. The prepared tablets were characterized for physical parameters and drug release behavior and the best formulation was subjected to pharmacokinetic studies. From in vitro drug release studies, the formulation F2 showed fast drug release of about 99.94±0.26% in 30 min, and disintegration time 34.42 ± 0.74 sec. The percent drug release in 15 min (Q 15 ) and initial dissolution rate for formulation F2 was 91.46±1.42%, 6.10%/min. The dissolution efficiency was found to be 53.44 and it is increased by 4.5 fold with F2 sublimated tablets. From the pharmacokinetic evaluation, the conventional tablets producing peak plasma concentration (C max ) was 9023.68±561.83 ng/ml at 3 h T max and F2 sublimated tablets showed C max 11126.71±123.56 ng/ml at 2 h T max . The area under the curve for the conventional and F2 tablets was 30968.42±541.52 and 42973.66±568.13 ng h/ml. Hence, the development of flurbiprofen fast dissolving tablets by sublimation method is a right way to enhance not only the dissolution rate but also the absorption rate.