Mucoadhesive tablet releasing iodine for treating oral infections.

Iodine complexes with ethyl cellulose (EC) and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) were prepared by immersing polymer powder in aqueous solutions of iodine. These complexes were incorporated in a mucoadhesive tablet for potential use as antimicrobial agent for treating oral infections. The release profile of iodine from the adhesive tablets was determined and the antimicrobial activity was assessed by diffusion assays using Candida albicans and Porphyromonas gingivalis cultures. Iodine was readily absorbed up to 35%w/w in the polymers. A differential scanning colorimeter (DSC) scan revealed a correlation between the endotherm peak of the complexes and the iodine content in the polymer complex. The tablets exhibited marked antifungal and antibacterial activities against the fungal/bacterial strains tested. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.