Osmotic Pump: A Reliable Drug Delivery System

ISSN: 0975-8585

Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences Osmotic Pump: A Reliable Drug Delivery System

PH Nikam*, JA Kareparamban, AP Jadhav, VJ Kadam Department of Quality Assurance, Bharati Vidyapeeth’s College of Pharmacy, Sector-8, C.B.D., Belapur, Navi Mumbai-400614, Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT In a typical therapeutic regimen the drug dose and dosing interval are optimized to maintain drug concentration within the therapeutic window, thus ensuring efficacy while minimizing toxic effects. Controlled drug delivery systems offer spatial control over the drug release. Osmotic pumps are most promising systems for controlled drug delivery. Osmotic pump uses the basic principle of osmosis for release of drug(s). Osmotic pumps consist of an inner core containing drug and osmogens, coated with a semi permeable membrane. As the core absorbs water, it expands in volume, which pushes the drug solution out through the delivery ports. Osmotic pumps release drug at a rate that is independent of the pH and hydrodynamics of the dissolution medium. Various patents available for osmotic drug delivery system like Rose-Nelson pump, Higuchi-leeper pump, higuchi-theeuwes pump, elementary osmotic pump etc. Keywords: Osmosis, Control drug delivery system, component of osmotic system, Osmotic pump

*Corresponding author

July – September

2012

RJPBCS

Volume 3 Issue 3

Page No. 478

ISSN: 0975-8585 INTRODUCTION Conventional drug delivery systems have little control over the drug release and so effective concentration at the target site cannot be achieved. This kind of dosing pattern may result in unpredictable plasma concentrations. But oral controlled drug delivery dosage forms provide desired drug release pattern for longer period of time and so the rate and extent of drug absorption from oral controlled drug delivery formulations can be predicated. [1] But various conventional controlled release (CR) systems such as matrix or reservoir type may show bioavailability fluctuation because of change in gastric pH and hydrodynamic condition of body. Osmotic systems show drug release independent to gastric physiological factor as the release of drug from this type of system is guided by osmosis, which itself is independent of pH of environment. Osmotic drug delivery systems can be of various designs like implants, tablets etc.[2, 3] In this group of Control drug delivery system (CDDS) the release of drug molecule from the drug delivery system is activated by some physical, chemical, or biochemical processes. Classifications 1. Physical mean a. Osmotic pressure activated drug delivery system. b. Hydrodynamic pressure activated drug delivery system c. Vapor pressure activated drug delivery system d. Mechanically activated drug delivery system e. Magnetically activated drug delivery system f. Sonophoresis activated drug delivery system g. Ionotrophoresis activated drug delivery system h. Hydration activated drug delivery system 2. Chemical means a. pH activated drug delivery system. b. Ion exchange drug delivery system. c. Hydrolysis activated drug delivery system. 3. Biochemical means a. Enzyme activated drug delivery system. b. Biochemical activated drug delivery system. [4] Osmotically Controlled Drug Delivery System (OCDDS) Osmotic devices are the most reliable controlled drug delivery systems (CDDS) and can be employed as oral drug delivery systems. Osmotic pressure is used as the driving force for these systems to release the drug in a July – September

2012

RJPBCS

Volume 3 Issue 3

Page No. 479

ISSN: 0975-8585 controlled manner. Osmotic pump tablet (OPT) generally consists of a core including the drug, an osmotic agent, other excipients and semi permeable membrane coat. [5] What is osmosis? Osmosis refers to the process of movement of solvent molecules from lower concentration to higher concentration across a semi permeable membrane. Osmosis is the phenomenon that makes controlled drug delivery a reality. Osmotic pressure created due to imbibitions of fluid from external environment into the dosage form regulates the delivery of drug from osmotic device. Rate of drug delivery from osmotic pump is directly proportional to the osmotic pressure developed due to imbibitions of fluids by osmogen. Osmotic pressure is a colligative property of a solution in which the magnitude of osmotic pressure of the solution is independent on the number of discrete entities of solute present in the solution. Hence the release rate of drugs from osmotic dispensing devices is dependent on the solubility and molecular weight and activity coefficient of the solute (osmogent). [6] Principles of Osmosis The first report of an osmotic effect dates to Abbenollet (1748). But Pfeffer obtained the first quantitative measurement in 1877. In Pfeffer experiment a membrane permeable to water but impermeable to sugar is used to separate a sugar solution from pure water. A flow of water then takes place into the sugar solution that cannot be halted until a pressure π is applied to the sugar solution. Pfeffer showed that this pressure, the osmotic pressure π of the sugar solution is directly proportional to the solution concentration and the absolute temperature. With in few years, Vant Hoff had shown the analogy between these results and ideal gas laws by the expression π=Фcrt Where Ф is the osmotic coefficient of the solution, c is the molar concentration of sugar in the solution, r is the gas constant t is the absolute temperature. Osmotic pressure for concentrated solution of soluble solutes commonly used in controlled release formulation are extremely high ranging from 30 atm for sodium phosphate up to 500 atm for a lactose-fructose mixture, as their osmotic pressure can produce high water flow across semi permeable membrane. The osmotic water flow through a membrane is given by the equation dv\dt = A Q Δ π\ L Where dv\dt is water flow across the membrane of area A, thickness L, and the permeability Q in cm2 July – September

2012

RJPBCS

Volume 3 Issue 3

Page No. 480

ISSN: 0975-8585 Δ π is the osmotic pressure difference between the two solutions on either side of the membrane. This equation is strictly for completely perm selective membrane that is membrane permeable to water but completely impermeable to osmotic agent. [7], [8] ADVANTAGES 1. Easy to formulate and simple in operation. 2. Improve patient compliance with reduced frequency. 3. Prolonged therapeutic effect with uniform blood concentration. 4. They typically give a zero order release profile after an initial lag. 5. Deliveries may be delayed or pulsed if desired. 6. Drug release is independent of gastric pH and hydrodynamic condition. 7. They are well characterized and understood. 8. The release mechanisms are not dependent on drug. 9. A high degree of in-vitro and in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) is obtained in osmotic systems. 10. The rationale for this approach is that the presence of water in git is relatively constant, at least in terms of the amount required for activation and controlling osmotically base technologies. 11. Higher release rates are possible with osmotic systems compared with conventional diffusion-controlled drug delivery systems. 12. The release from osmotic systems is minimally affected by the presence of food in gastrointestinal tract. 13. The release rate of osmotic systems is highly predictable and can be programmed by modulating the release control parameters. [5] [9] BASIC COMPONENT OF OSMOTIC SYSTEM Drug All drugs are not suitable candidate for osmotic system as prolong action medication .Drug with biological half-life > 12 hr e.g.: Diazepam and drug which have very short half life i.e.