A STUDY OF THE HYDROPHILIC CELLULOSE MATRIX - EFFECT OF INDOMETHACIN AND A WATER-SOLUBLE ADDITIVE ON SWELLING PROPERTIES

A swelling measurement device was designed to observe the axial swelli ng direction of a matrix containing various types of hydrophilic cellu lose derivatives (methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and hy droxypropylcellulose). The effect of indomethacin and lactose on the s welling properties was also studied. The maximum swelling index and th e apparent diffusion coefficient of water in the matrix, calculated fr om the swelling data, were used to describe the swelling properties of the matrix, reflecting the matrix integrity. The results showed that hydroxypropylcellulose produced a matrix with a high integrity. Indome thacin and lactose changed the swelling properties of the hydrophilic cellulose matrices in this study.