The effect of Plantago major seed mucilage combined with carbopol on the release profile and bioadhesive properties of propranolol HCl buccoadhesive tablets

Buccoadhesive drug delivery systems have distinct advantages in comparison with oral administration. Plant exudates like gum or mucilage are being studied for their use as pharmaceutical adjuvant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the properties of the Plantago major seed mucilage as a mucoadhesive agent and propranolol hydrochloride is chosen as a model drug. Mucoadhesive tablets of propranolol hydrochloride were formulated by combination of two mucoadhesive polymers include Carbopol 934P and Plantago major mucilage, and properties such as in vitro drug release, swelling, erosion, mucoadhesive force were studied. The results show increase in bioadhesive strength and decrease in release rate with increase in percent of Carbopol 934P, as F13 (containing Carbopol 934P alone) and F8 (containing mucilage alone) show the highest bioadhesive strength and highest release rate respectively and these results were matched to swelling results which decrease in swelling of matrices results in decrease in bioadhesion. Matrices with both Plantago major mucilage and Carbopol have the optimum drug release in bioadhesive formulation of propranolol tablets.