Published Paper Details:

The present study focuses on the development of gastro-retentive floating matrix tablets of Pioglitazone to enhance its oral bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy in the management of Type II diabetes mellitus. Pioglitazone possesses low aqueous solubility and a short biological half-life (3-7 hours), resulting in frequent dosing and fluctuations in plasma drug levels. To overcome these limitations, floating tablets were formulated using Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC K15M) and Sodium Alginate as release-retarding polymers, Sodium Bicarbonate as the gas-generating agent, and PVP as a binder. The tablets were prepared by direct compression and evaluated for pre-compression and post-compression parameters such as hardness, friability, weight variation, drug content, floating lag time, buoyancy duration, swelling index, and in-vitro drug release. The optimized formulation (F4) exhibited excellent floating behavior with a floating lag time below one minute and buoyancy extending beyond 15 hours. In-vitro dissolution studies confirmed controlled drug release for up to 12 hours, following zero-order kinetics with a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. Stability studies conducted under ICH conditions indicated no significant changes in physical or chemical properties. Overall, floating matrix tablets of Pioglitazone successfully prolonged gastric residence time and improved sustained drug delivery, offering better therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance.