Formulation and evaluation of Prednisolone retention enema as dispersible tablet and vehicle for the treatment of ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation and damage in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that typically presents in the second or third decade of life with bloody diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. The objective of the present work was to formulate and evaluate of Prednisolone retention enema as a dispersible tablet and it is suspended in suitable vehicle for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. In the present work, an attempt has been made to formulate and evaluate Prednisolone retention enema as a dispersible tablet by using three different methods (direct compression (F1 to F3, wet granulation (F4 and F5) and slugging method (F6)). Prepared dispersible tablets were administered with the help of vehicle for the effective treatment of ulcerative colitis. Dispersible tablets were evaluated for various parameters. In vitro drug release and microbiological evaluation studies were performed to the best formulation in rectal suspension. Then the best formulation was subjected to carry out for stability studies at three different temperatures. Among the six formulations, F6 formulation showed better results. FT-IR study showed that there was no interaction between a drug and excipients. In vitro drug release and microbiological evaluation studies were performed for F6 formulation in rectal suspension. About 99.06 % of the drug was released at 60 min. and also it was found to be microbiologically stable. Results from the stability studies showed that F6 formulation alone and with rectal suspension was stable for a period of 90 days. It was concluded that F6 formulation in rectal suspension possesses a promising future for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.