Preparation and Evaluation of Floating Calcium Alginate Beads of Clarithromycin

The objective of this investigation was to develop an intra gastric floating drug delivery system of clarithromycin and also attempts were made to sustain the release of clarithromycin. Multiple-unit floating beads of clarithromycin were prepared from sodium alginate solution containing Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (K100M) and sunflower oil by using emulsion-gelation method. These beads were evaluated for entrapment efficiency, drug loading, buoyancy and in vitro drug release. All formulations were the floating lag time below two minutes and shows total floating duration more than ten hours. It was observed that entrapment efficiency, drug loading and buoyancy was greater with formulation containing two percent sodium alginate solution and five percent calcium chloride solution along with 500mg HPMC and five ml sunflower oil (i.e.F14) and also the result of in-vitro dissolution studies reveals that the formulation F14 gave sustained release pattern of clarithromycin upto 12 hrs.