Formulation and Development of Sustained Release Floating Tablets of Metformin Hydrochloride

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, necessitating continuous blood glucose management to prevent complications. Conventional oral antidiabetic therapies often suffer from limitations such as poor bioavailability, short half-life, and frequent dosing requirements. Gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) offer a solution by enhancing gastric retention, leading to prolonged drug release and improved therapeutic efficacy. The present study focuses on the formulation and development of a sustained-release floating tablet of Metformin Hydrochloride (MH) aimed at improving bioavailability and enhancing patient adherence.Various formulations were prepared using hydrophilic matrixforming polymers, including HPMC K15M, kappa-carrageenan, sodium alginate, and xanthan gum, along with sodium bicarbonate as an effervescent agent. The tablets were evaluated for pre-compression and post-compression parameters, including bulk density, compressibility index, swelling ability, friability, floating lag time, and drug release kinetics. Among the six formulations (F1-F6), F2 exhibited superior characteristics, demonstrating prolonged gastric retention and sustained drug release following zero-order kinetics (R² = 0.9257). The release mechanism was best described by the Higuchi model (R² = 0.9879) and Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R² = 0.9938), indicating diffusion-controlled drug release. Stability studies confirmed that F2 remained stable under accelerated conditions. The sustained-release floating tablet of Metformin Hydrochloride represents a promising approach to improve diabetes management through extended drug release and enhanced patient compliance.