Development and Method Validation of an Unconventional In-Vitro Test To Measure Mucoadhesive Strength of Tablets

The mechanism of mucoadhesion involves the interpenetration of the mucus with other molecules strengthened by the formation of secondary chemical bonds between them. Literature survey showed that sophisticated instruments are required for measurement of mucoadhesive force. This work was undertaken to develop and validate a simple, economic, rapid, accurate, reproducible method for measurement of the same. A simple, unconventional test procedure using rat and sheep stomach tissues (as biological substrate) was standardized. The detachment forces per surface area in Newton/millimeter2 are reported. Mucoadhesive tablets were used as test samples for development and validation of this method.