Kanugo AY, Kochar NI and Chandewar AV
The present investigation aimed with the development of time dependent press coated pulsatile drug delivery of Candesartan cilexetil for early morning rise in blood pressure. Core tablets were prepared with different concentrations of superdisintegrants for immediate release. Core tablets were coated with combinations of hydrophilic polymer HPMC and hydrophobic polymer ethyl cellulose in various proportions, which prolong the lag time. Core and coated tablets were evaluated for weight variation, hardness, friability, content uniformity and in-vitro dissolution studies. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was also performed to detect the possible drug excipients interactions. The results showed that the release lag time of Candesartan cilexetil increased when the quantity of ethyl cellulose increased thus decreasing the drug release. Stability study of the optimized batch was performed at 40°C and 75% RH for 3 months according to ICH guidelines.