Meloxicam

The aim of the present work is to develop a pH and time dependent pulsatile release tablets of Meloxicam for delivering the drug into colon. The system consists of a drug containing core, coated by a combination of natural polymer locust bean gum and hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMCK100M) in various proportions to control the onset of release. The whole system was coated with Methacrylic acid copolymers to prevent the drug release in stomach and also to prolong the lag time. Meloxicam was used as a model drug and varying combinations of locust bean gum and HPMCK100M were used to achieve the desired lag time before rapid and complete release of drug in colon takes place. It was observed that the lag time depends on the coating ratio of LBG and HPMC and also on press coating weight. The drug release was to be increased by 15-30% in the presence of colonic microbial flora. The present study demonstrates that the Meloxicam enteric coated tablets could be successfully formulated as a pulsatile drug delivery by the design of a time and PH dependent Chronotherapeutic formulation.

In this study, work was done for the development of new precise, accurate and sensitive analytical methods for the evaluation of Meloxicam by reverse and normal phase HPLC. After development of two separate methods they are compared to determine the more authentic method of the two. In reverse phase HPLC, C18 column was used and mobile phase was acetonitrile and methanol. Similarly chloroform was used as mobile phase with silicon column for normal phase HPLC. Separately equal volume of standard solution and sample solutions in HPLC vials were injected in auto sampler compartment of HPLC. Chromatogram peak areas of Meloxicam in standard and sample solutions of different concentrations were recorded and compared. These methods are later validated in different ways. The calibration curve proved to have linearity coefficient of 0.999 for reverse and 0.994 for normal phase HPLC. The precision was equivalent to 0.0003%for reverse and 0.003%for normal phase. The LOD and LOQ were 0.0003ug/ml and 0.001ug/ml respectively for reverse and 0.002 and 0.006ug/ml for normal phase. The system also showed accuracy over the range of 95 to 99% for reverse and 91 to 97% for normal phase. These methods showed accuracy, reproducibility and sensitivity and reverse phase proved to be better than normal phase but both can be used alternatively. Key words: Meloxicam, acetonitrile, methanol, HPLC.