Design of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel as a controlled-release vehicle for rectal administration of dl-propranolol-HCl and atenolol.

Preparations of beta-blockers, propranolol-HCl and atenolol, in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel were designed for the therapeutic treatment of hypertension by transrectal delivery. In vitro release characteristics and plasma drug concentration profiles after rectal administration in rats and dogs were examined. The PVA hydrogels containing beta-blockers were prepared by a low-temperature crystallization method. The release of beta-blockers from hydrogel preparations was consistent with Fickian diffusion (Higuchi model); the drug release versus the square root of release time profile gave a straight line over 60% of the total release process. The release of beta-blockers from hydrogel preparations increased at higher concentrations of PVA in the hydrogel preparations and was not affected by the pH of hydrogel preparations. Plasma concentrations of beta-blockers after rectal administration of hydrogels were higher than those after administration of suppositories (Witepsol H-15) in rats and dogs. The drug plasma concentrations increased at higher concentrations of PVA in hydrogel preparations. In the case of propranolol, which is a hepatic high-clearance drug, area under the blood concentration curve, 0-8 h after rectal administration of a hydrogel preparation (20% w/w PVA, pH 7.0) was 2.16 times and 5.26 times higher than those obtained with Witepsol H-15 suppository and oral administration, respectively. Rectal administration with PVA hydrogels is a favorable route for a hepatic high-clearance drug such as propranolol.