Development and Evaluation of a Cost-Effective, Carbon-Based, Extended-Release Febuxostat Tablet

Abstract

This study outlines the development of a cost-effective, extended-release febuxostat (FEB) tablet using activated charcoal as an adsorbent to enhance drug release. FEB, a BCS Class II drug, presents formulation challenges due to low solubility and high lipophilicity. We evaluated eight formulations with varying FEB-to-charcoal ratios using FTIR and DSC for physical interactions and followed USP standards for overall assessment. The optimal 1:0.25 FEB-to-charcoal ratio demonstrated a consistent 12 h zero-order release pattern. In vivo studies indicated a significantly extended plasma profile compared to immediate-release tablets. The optimal tablets demonstrated acceptable hardness and disintegration times. This innovative approach enhances patient compliance, improves bioavailability, and reduces production costs, offering a promising solution for controlled FEB delivery.

Keywords

• FEB
• extended release
• bioavailability
• charcoal
• tablet