PREPARATION AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF WITEPSOL H15-IBUPROFEN SUPPOSITORIES CONTAINING NON-IONIC SURFACTANTS: THE ROLE OF SURFACTANT HLB VALUE AND CONCENTRATION

This paper represents an investigation study results for the role of hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) values andconcentrations of non-ionic surfactants on the physicochemical properties of Witepsol H15 suppositories as well asthe release kinetic of the entrapped drug. Witepsol H15 suppositories free and containing Brij, Myrj and Tween withdifferent HLB values were prepared using milt method. Suppositories were characterised for physiochemical parameters using British Pharmacopeia methods. The release kinetic study for the entrapped drug from suppositories inabsence and presence of surfactant was conducted at 37 ± 1ºC using phosphate buffer pH 7.4 as dissolution medium.The release rate data were then fit to different mathematical models and studied. Results showed that all the prepared suppositories were to satisfy British Pharmacopeia requirements for weight variation, liquification time, hardness, disintegration time and content uniformity. The incorporation of non-ionic surfactants within Witepsol H15base resulted in changes in physicochemical parameters varied with HLB value and surfactant concentration. Theamount of ibuprofen released was also greatly affected by HLB values and concentration of the surfactant used.Analysis of data using linear regression indicated that the release kinetic of ibuprofen from Witepsol H15 base containing 1% of surface active agent followed more than one mechanism.