Colon-Targetedsodium Picosulfiate Tablets Using Ph-Sensitive Polymeric Coating: A Review

Author

P. Kishore Kumar, Dr. G. Mariyappan


Abstract

 Sodium picosulfate is a stimulant laxative prodrug that is activated in the colon; therefore, a tablet that releases the drug only in the lower gastrointestinal tract is pharmacologically sensible. Enteric methacrylic acid copolymers, such as Eudragit L100, L100-55, and S100, dissolve above defined pH thresholds and can be used to prevent drug release during gastric and small-intestinal transit.This review summarizes the rationale for colon-targeted sodium picosulfate tablets and covers colonic physiology, drug pharmacology, major colon-targeting strategies, pH-dependent polymers, formulation and coating methods, and the evaluation of coated tablets, including multi-stage and bicarbonate-buffer dissolution testing, scintigraphy, and stability testing. The available evidence indicates that pH-only coatings may fail in vivo because of interindividual variations in intestinal pH and gastrointestinal transit. Combined triggering mechanisms and biorelevant testing are promising approaches to improve targeting reliability. No published study specifically investigating coated, colon-targeted sodium picosulfate tablets was identified among the sources gathered for this review. Therefore, the formulation guidance presented here is extrapolated from studies involving other drugs.



Keywords

Sodium picosulfate; colon-targeted drug delivery; pH-sensitive polymers; Eudragit; enteric coating; bowel preparation; in vitro dissolution.



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References


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