Formulation and Evaluation of Metoprolol Fast Disintegrating Tablets Using Coprocessed Excipients

Metoprolol is a medication primarily used for managing conditions like high blood pressure, chest pain (angina), irregular heart rhythms, and heart attacks. This study aimed to develop fast-dissolving tablets of metoprolol using coprocessed superdisintegrants, consisted of sodium starch glycolate (SSG) with either crospovidone (CP) or croscarmellose sodium (CCS) in different ratios (1:1 and 1:2). The study investigated the effects of these coprocessed superdisintegrants on various aspects of the tablets, such as wetting time, disintegrating time, drug content, and release of the medication in laboratory tests. The precompression parameters, which assess the properties of the materials before tablet formation, were within the recommended limits, suggesting that the materials flowed well during the manufacturing process. Al the parameters met the acceptable limits specified by the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), indicating satisfactory tablet quality. The in-vitro disintegration time, which measures how quickly the tablets break down in a simulated environment, ranged from 8±4 to 86±14 seconds. Notably, the addition of coprocessed superdisintegrants significantly reduced the disintegration time, indicating their effectiveness. The tablets achieved complete drug release in 6 minutes for formulation F6 and 8 minutes for formulation F5, respectively. Among all the formulations, the tablets containing a combination of SSG and CP in a 1:1 ratio demonstrated the highest drug release, reaching 99.79% within 4 minutes. Based on the findings of this study, it was observed that the coprocessed superdisintegrants consisting of SSG and CP were more superior compared to SSG and CCS. Increasing the concentration of coprocessed superdisintegrants resulted in longer disintegration time and decreased drug release for both combinations. In conclusion, the researchers determined that the tablets formulated with SSG and CP in a 1:1 ratio exhibited the most favorable properties in terms of disintegration time and drug release.