Gastro retentive floating drug delivery system of levofloxacin based on Aloe vera hydrogel: In vitro and in vivo assays.

Gastro retentive drug delivery systems (GRDDS) have gained immense popularity as they reduce dosing frequency, improve bioavailability, and enhance patient compliance. Herein, a plant-based, controlled swelling, and pH-sensitive GRDDS based on Aloe vera hydrogel and cellulose was developed for the sustained release of levofloxacin (LEVO). The properties of five various floating tablet formulations including dynamic swelling, pH-responsiveness, hardness, friability, drug release, and buoyant time were evaluated. The optimized formulation (FF) was characterized using FTIR and SEM, and the surface morphology exhibited a porous texture with microchannels that facilitated tablet swelling and prolonged release of LEVO. The formulation FF remained buoyant (> 12 h) in the simulated gastric fluid with a buoyancy time of 303 s. A pH-dependent swelling behavior of the formulation FF was revealed with the highest swelling (7.1 g/g) in water, followed by buffers of pH 6.8 (5.4 g/g), 4.5 (3.8 g/g), and 1.2 (2 g/g). The controlled release of LEVO was demonstrated for >12 h following the Hixson-Crowell model and non-Fickian diffusion. Pharmacokinetic parameters of LEVO were determined using in vivo studies. The non-toxic nature of the formulation under study was demonstrated. The results render this approach promising in reducing the dosing frequency, suggesting its potential for clinical applications.