Pharmaceutical Evaluation of Ziziphus Jujuba Mucoadhesive Buccal Film

Buccal mucoadhesive films have attracted great attention among mucoadhesive systems due to their ability to adhere and remain on the oral mucosa and to release their drug content gradually. The aim of the current study was to formulate the Ziziphus jujuba aqueous extract as buccal bioadhesive film, which continiously releases the drug at sufficient concentration for reducing the frequency of the administration times. Ziziphus jujuba fruit has caempferol compound which considered effective in treating gingivitis because of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. The mucoadhesive films were prepared using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) K4M, K15M and Eudragit RL100 polymers and propylene glycol as plasticizer by using solvent casting method. The physicochemical properties of films such as thickness uniformity, weight variations, swelling index, tensile strength, ex vivo adhesion force were evaluated. Films with high concentrations of HPMC K4M and K15M did not have favorable appearance and uniformity. The formulations prepared from Eudragit were transparent, flexible and without bubble. The highest and the lowest percentages of swelling were observed for the films containing HPMC K15M and Eudragit RL100, respectively. Films made of HPMC K15M had adhesion force higher than those containing Eudragit RL100. Drug release kinetics of all formulations followed Higuchi’s model and the mechanism of diffusion was considered non-Fickian type. It was concluded that formulations containing Eudragit RL100 were more favorable than others with regard to uniformity and flexibility.