ELABORATION AND EVALUATION OF AN INTRAORAL CONTROLLED-RELEASE DELIVERING SYSTEM

In order to improve the administration of drugs for all pathology of t he oral cavity, we have developed an intraoral controlled release deli vering system, permitting to reach high enough local concentrations fo r desirable therapeutic effect with minimal side effects. We have form ulated tablets of 200 mg intended to be fixed on a tooth. These tablet s resist food and drink attacks. The tablets we elaborated have a gran ular matrix composed of hydroxyapatite, ethyl cellulose and Eudragit(( R)). Zinc sulfate is used as the first model of an active drug, it has a therapeutic effect on buccal mucous. Profiles of continuous in-vitr o drug release in distilled water at 37 degrees C show that zinc sulfa te release by the matrix structure for the different tablet formulatio ns is regulated by the proportions of the different components. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.