Formulation and evaluation of sustained release paracetamol tablets.

Slow-releasing paracetamol tablet formulations were produced and their in vitro dissolution profiles and in vivo absorption characteristics were determined and compared with a conventional rapidly-disintegrating commercial formulation. A correlation between saliva and plasma levels of the drug was confirmed and this allowed estimation of some simple pharmacokinetic parameters from the saliva paracetamol data. The in vitro data correlated with the in vivo parameters and this enabled the dissolution test results to be used in predictive manner in the development of a compression-coated slow release formulation which produced therapeutic levels of the drug for up to 5 h.