International Journal of Drug Delivery 2 (2010) 242-250 http://www.arjournals.org/ijdd.html Research article ISSN: 0975-0215 Investigations on chitosan-carboxymethyl guar gum complexes interpolymer complexes for colon delivery of fluticasone Vikas Kumar 1 , A.K.Tiwary 2 , Gurpreet Kaur* 2 *Corresponding author: Gurpreet Kaur 1 Ranbaxy Research Labs, Gurgaon, India 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Research, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India Tel: 919814724622 Fax +91-(0175)-3046255 Email: kaurgpt@gmail.com Abstract The present study was designed to formulate colon release tablets of fluticasone by employing cross linked chitosan (CH) and carboxymethyl guar gum (CMG) interpolymer complexes (IPC). Matrix tablets were prepared by wet granulation method using IPC as binder and coating agent. The IPC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The uncoated and coated tablets were tested for their suitability as colon specific drug delivery system by in vitro dissolution studies. The coated tablets were evaluated for their pharmacodynamic performance after oral administration to TNBS induced ulcerative colitic rats. FTIR studies demonstrated that the IPC was formed through an electrostatic interaction between –COO − groups of CMG and –NH 3 + groups of CH. Tablets formulated with 50:50 CH:CMG as binder and coated with the respective ratio of IPC was capable of protecting the drug release in stomach and small intestine and delivering the drug in the colon. Histopathology of the rat colon after oral administration of these IPC film coated tablets revealed significantly greater (p<0.05) reduction in TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis The study confirmed that selective delivery of fluticasone to the colon can be achieved using cross-linked CH and CMG polysaccharides. Keywords: Chitosan; Colonic delivery; Carboxymethyl guar gum; Cross- linking; Guar gum; Fluticasone Introduction Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to two related but different diseases: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). These diseases cause chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. IBD is a lifelong disease with periods of active disease alternating with periods of disease control (remission). It is widely estimated that between 1 and 1.4 million people in the United States have IBD. Currently no curative therapeutic agent is available and treatment of IBD relies heavily on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, glucocorticoids and immuno- modulators. The primary objective of anti-IBD therapy is to reduce the inflammation of colon. This requires frequent administration of anti-inflammatory drugs at high doses, which may lead to gastric ulceration, bleeding and other gastric complications [1]. Corticosteroids are the most effective agents in the treatment of acute UC because of their broad and nonspecific anti-inflammatory effects, including lymphocyte toxicity, inhibition of cytokines, and reduction of arachidonic acid metabolites [2]. doi:10.5138/ijdd.2010.0975.0215.02035 ©arjournals.org, All rights reserved.