Formulation and Evaluation Study of Azithromycin Tablets by Various Natural Polymers and their Comparative Preformulation Study

The present study was to formulate Azithromycin matrix tablet using Xanthan gum, and guar gum as natural polymers and to elucidate the effect of type of polymers and its concentration on release pattern of drug from sustained release matrix tablets. Azithromycin matrix tablets were prepared in two batches (batch number F1 to F2) by direct compression method using xanthan gum and guar gum as natural polymers and microcrystalline cellulose as a binder and pyrolidone as a water soluble polymer. The in vitro drug release studies of all the batches indicated that optimized formulation pertaining to Batch no. F2 was a promising system to provide sustained release effect of drug. The release pattern of the above formulation was best fitted to zero-order model and first order model. Mechanism of drug release followed was non-Fickian (super case-II) transport mechanism. Based on the above studies it can be concluded that this Azithromycin drug can be effectively formulated using different classes of natural polymers which can have greater bioavailability with less dose related side effects having better patient compliance.