Influence of physicochemical properties on drug release rate from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose matrix tablets

An examination was made of the release of isoniazid, anhydrous caffeine, theophylline, salicylic acid and indomethacin from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) matrices, and the results were usually found to follow first order kinetics, The release rate of the drug was influenced by the solubility of the drug, and by the viscosity and the content of HPMC. As the drug solubility increased, the drug release rate also increased, and conversely, as the viscosity and/or the content of HPMC increased, the drug release rate decreased, A multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between response (release rate) and factors (drug solubility, HPMC viscosity and HPMC content), and a statistically significant model was obtained, This model allows not only predictions of the drug release rate from HPMC matrices, but also establishment of the formulation of the target drug without experimental determination.