Buccoadhesive tablets for the slow delivery of cetylpyridinium chloride: design and in vitro/in vivo analysis.

A buccoadhesive slow-release system constituted by a monolayer tablet was developed for the administration of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). Tablet composition was based on a mixture of a bioadhesive polymer with conventional excipients. Three different polymers (Methocel K4M, Noveon AA1, Carbopol 974P) in three different concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%) were used. The release profile and the adhesion properties of nine formulations were evaluated in vitro. Based on these results three formulations containing 10% w/w of the tested polymers were chosen to assess, with preliminary in vivo studies, the compliance and the residence time in the month of the systems. Tablets containing Noveon AA1 showed the best performances.