FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ORODISPERSIBLE TABLETS OF ETORICOXIB USING NATURAL SUPER DISINTEGRANT

The present study was undertaken to formulate and evaluate orodispersible tablets of Etoricoxib using a natural superdisintegrant. Etoricoxib is a selective COX-2 inhibitor used for the management of pain and inflammation. Conventional tablets may be difficult to swallow for certain patients; therefore, orodispersible tablets offer a convenient alternative by rapidly disintegrating in the oral cavity in the presence of saliva without the need for water. In the present investigation, Gum karaya was selected as a natural superdisintegrant because of its availability, economical nature, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The tablets were prepared by the direct compression method using suitable excipients and varying concentrations of superdisintegrants. Preformulation studies and drug–excipient compatibility studies were carried out before formulation. The prepared tablets were evaluated for physical parameters such as hardness, thickness, friability and weight variation, along with wetting time, disintegration time, in-vitro dispersion, water absorption ratio, assay and in-vitro dissolution studies. The optimized formulation showed satisfactory tabletting properties and acceptable drug content. The assay of the prepared formulations was found to be within the prescribed pharmacopoeial limits. Stability studies of the optimized formulation were also performed. The study indicates that Gum karaya can be effectively explored as a natural superdisintegrant for developing Etoricoxib orodispersible tablets with rapid disintegration and satisfactory drug-release characteristics.