To study the effect of HPMC and Carbopol in mucoadhesive buccal tablets of Meclizine hydrochloride using Central Composite Design: In-vitro Characterization

For the study, mucoadhesive buccal tablets containing Meclizine Hydrochloride (MCZ HCL) were designed to avoid first-pass metabolism and enhance its bioavailability while reducing the dose administration frequency. As a result, this work aimed to design, evaluate, and determine the optimum conditions for the bioadhesion and drug release. MCZ HCL mucoadhesive buccal tablets were prepared using multiple grades of HPMC, including HPMC 15 cps, 50 cps, 100 cps, and HPMC K4M, by the direct compression method. Ethyl cellulose was employed as a backing layer to facilitate the unidirectional flow of medication in the buccal region of the mouth. Using the central composite design (CCD), the drug delivery formulations undergo a thorough optimization process. The response surface and contour plots were generated, and grid searches and feasibility analyses were conducted to select the most effective formulations. The developed formulations underwent various tests to determine their physiochemical characteristics and in-vitro drug release. Optimized formulation containing HPMC 15 cps 24.63 mg and Carbopol 934P 4.17 mg showed t50 in 5.6 h. Additionally, the optimized formulation's mucoadhesive strength was 7.04 ± 0.41, and its swelling index was 99.82% after 8 h. Furthermore, studies conducted with FTIR spectroscopy revealed no interactions between the drug and the excipient. According to short-term stability experiments performed on the promising formulation, there were no significant changes in the amount of drug present.