Development of sustained release beads for salbutamol sulphate using ion exchange resin.

The present study was focused to achieve controlled and predictable delivery of highly water soluble drug. Drug: ion exchange resin complex was encapsulated with main emphasis on drug: resin ratio, core: coat ratio and polymer composition. Studies clearly showed that resinate in 1:1 ratio, core: coat ratio of 1:2 and eudragit RS: RL ratio of 70:30 were the optimum composition for desired release profile. At the same time it was demonstrated that solvent composition and stirring speed affect quality of polymeric beads. Salbutamol sulphate being highly soluble and permeable drug, often presents challenge in formulation its controlled delivery product. Dissolution studies reveal that mechanism of drug release followed Higuchi equation, signifying drug release by Fickian diffusion. Also for same the X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, SEM and stability studies. Ion exchange resin beads of Salbutamol sulphate showed promising results for controlled drug release.