Formulation And Evaluation of Oral Floating Microspheres of Norfloxacin Using Okra Gum

The present research was aimed at preparing norfloxacin floating microspheres by the ionic gelation method with the aim of increasing the gastric residence time and for controlled release. The microspheres were prepared using sodium alginate and okra gum as natural polymers, and sodium bicarbonate and citric acid were used as gas forming agents. The prepared floating microspheres were evaluated with respect to micromeritic properties, floating behaviour, drug content, entrapment efficiency, morphology, and invitro release study. The optimum formulation was evaluated and identified for drug-excipient compatibility using Fouier Transform- Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The micromeritic properties demonstrated the prepared microspheres were discrete and freely floating with a particle size range of 1.47 ± 0.0258 mm. Optimum buoyancy properties, % yield, and drug entrapment efficiency were achieved. These results indicated that the release rate was found to decrease with an increase in the concentration of coating material, and formulation F3 showed 69.22 % drug release at 12hrs. Kinetics of drug release was found to depend on diffusion and erosion mechanisms best fitted with Korsmeyer’s model, and release exponent (n) was shown to be between 1.3815 and 1.4329. FT-IR showed no interaction between norfloxacin and polymers. The SEM result revealed that the particle size of floating microspheres was found to be regular and spherical shape with rough and uneven surface.