Abstract

Introduction: Fast dissolving films have received great attention in pharmaceutical industry because of their unique properties and advantages. The drug loaded films undergo quick disintegration in the salivary fluids of the oral cavity and release the drug. The purpose of this study is to fabricate tuberculosis (TB) drugs such as Isoniazid and Rifampicin loaded polymer films.

Materials and Methods: Three polymers such as poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), gelatin and chitosan were evaluated for their film forming property. Glycerin was used as plasticizer with different concentrations to find the effect of plasticizer on disintegration time of the polymer. The oral films were prepared by solvent casting method. FT-IR and UV-Vis analysis were employed to confirm the presence of drugs. Drug release studies were performed in simulated saliva solution.

Result: The performance of the films was evaluated with respect to thickness, weight uniformity, in vitro disintegration time, moisture uptake, moisture loss and folding endurance. Poly (vinyl alcohol) showed better film forming property than other polymers. The antimicrobial activity of the films was analyzed by well diffusion method.

Conclusion: The films prepared with 3% PVA with 5% plasticizer concentration showed minimum disintegration time (17 Seconds) which is highly suitable for oral drug delivery applications. This results in a new approach of TB drug delivery which reduces the complications in swallowing the tablets by elderly and pediatric people.

Keywords: Chitosan, fast dissolving films, gelatin, glycerin, tuberculosis, Isoniazid, poly(vinyl alcohol) and Rifampicin.

Graphical Abstract