Development and Optimization of Sustained-Release Matrix Tablets of Diclofenac Sodium Using Carboxymethylated Chitosan Through Systematic Application of Design of Experiments

The study successfully developed a sustained-release matrix tablet of diclofenac sodium using CMCS as the primary matrix material. The optimized formulation demonstrated a dissolution profile comparable to the marketed product (>90% release in 8 hours), with f2 > 50 and f1 < 15, suggesting its potential as a generically equivalent alternative. Moreover, the findings indicate that CMCS is an effective carrier for sustainedrelease formulations and can potentially be applied to other drugs requiring controlled release.