GELATINIZED FREEZE-DRIED STARCH AS EXCIPIENT IN SUSTAINED-RELEASE TABLETS

Recently starch has been studied as a forming-matrix excipient for sus tained oral dosage forms. We are studying a new technique for the prod uction of cold water-swellable starch using gelatinization and freeze- drying processes, and the product obtained has been characterized. We made matrices containing different modified starch-hydroxypropyl methy lcellulose mixtures and studied their possible erosion-diffusion mecha nism and release rate in dissolution tests which was found to be simil ar to that of the HPMC matrix.