Vol. 3, Issue 5, Part L (2017)

Abstract
The objective of this study was to formulate, optimize and evaluate sustained release pellets of venlafaxine hydrochloride. Venlafaxine hydrochloride sustained release pellets were prepared by solution layering technique. The effect of polymer (Eudragit RLPO) and binder polyvinyl pyrolidone (PVP-K30) on the % drug content and % drug release after 12th hour was optimized by using 32factorial design. It was observed that concentration of polymer directly affects the drug release profile and concentration of binder affects the % drug content. The effect of the variables and behavior of the system was studied using response surface plots. Non-pareils were coated by drug solution in a pan coater. Drug loaded pellets were coated dispersion of Eudragit RLPO and triethyl citrate. Tri-ethyl citrate was used as plasticizer. Pellets were evaluated for flow properties, drug content, in-vitro release characteristics, %coating efficiency, surface morphology, FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry. The release of optimized formulation batch was compared with marketed product (VENLOR-XR) and that was found to be similar.