Alnazi, F., Elzayat, E., El Maghraby, G. 2012.

Development of Modified In Situ Gelling Oral Liquid

Sustained Release Formulation of Dextromethorphan. Drug Development and Industrial
Pharmacy, Vol. 38(8), 971-978.
The development of liquid oral sustained release formulation for dextromethorphan has gained
much interest recently. This formulation eliminate problems associated with solid dosage forms
while maintaining the advantages and convenience of sustained drug delivery.
The objective of this work was to develop and optimize in situ oral gelling sustained release
liquid oral administration for the delivery of dextromethorphan in the stomach and intestine.
In our opinion, the author clearly stated the concepts which were significant to the study which
included in situ gelling and the incorporation of chitosan with alginate for the gelling capacity.
In situ gelling provides a promising alternative with most of the reported investigations showing
the solid to gel phase transition of alginate solution after addition of polyvalent cations as
calcium. The incorporation of chitosan with alginate increased the gelling capacity and strength
and reduced the rate of drug release.
Data was collected through a series of experiments to compare the drug released from
different formulations. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the mean
values and Multiple Range Test was used to test for the significance. The author clearly stated
the data collected by showing tables wherein the results of the tests made were shown. The
computations and graphs were also clearly shown which helped in the evaluation of the results.
Increasing the concentration of alginate increased the gelling capacity and strength and
reduced the rate of drug release in gastric conditions with 2% w/v alginate being the best
formulation. However, these formulations failed to sustain the release in the intestinal
conditions. Incorporation of chitosan with alginate increased the gelling capacity and strength
and reduced the rate of drug release compared to alginate only system. The effect was
optimum in formulation containing 1.5% w/v chitosan. The sustained release pattern was
maintained both in the gastric and intestinal conditions and was comparable to that obtained
from the marketed product.
The ideas are clearly presented because first it started defining the topic of interest, which is
the Alginate-chitosan based in situ gelling system and how it is used as a promising liquid oral
sustained release system for easy administration of Dextromethorphan for elderly and child
patients. After this the complexation process between alginate and chitosan are discussed. It
then gives information why they combined alginate and chitosan as a base for easy
administration of Dextromethorphan. Lastly, it describes the characteristics of the bases used,
wherein they stated that the sustained release pattern was maintained both in the gastric and
intestinal conditions and was comparable to that obtained from the marketed product.

Alginate-chitosan based in situ oral gelling system proved to be a liquid oral sustained release
system for easy administration of dextromethorphan for elderly and child patients. The system
employed the complexation process between alginate and chitosan to sustain the drug release
in the stomach and intestine after gastric emptying. The system reduced possibility of dose
dumping after gastric emptying.
The data supported the conclusion made by the authors since the data clearly stated the
information about the topic of interest and the results showed how promising alginate-chitosan
based in situ gelling system as a liquid oral sustained release system for easy administration of
dextromethorphan for elderly and child patients, which matched the objectives of the study.
In our opinion the results are not thought provoking because it really showed the results
precisely and had appropriate conclusions based on the results gathered. This research has
proved to be reliable one. The information are complete and perfectly arranged and its easy
for the readers to understand the topic of interest.
In our opinion, the research is complete but further improvements may be made as to
expanding the study which may be able to cover other properties which can be altered to
produce a better drug release effect and simplifying the results and other research parts for
younger professionals which are using these types of journals as their reference material.
The most important thing that we learned by reading and critiquing this journal article is the
idea of combining every detail gathered, big or small, to complete a journal. Making research
paper needs a lot of time to gather the right information that fit your topic of interest to end up
on the right conclusion. Arranging the information precisely makes it easier for the readers to
find what they are looking for. The research needs to be a simple and not complicated so that
comprehension would not be a problem for the readers.

ILAGAN, Isabelle Louise F.

VILLANUEVA, Ramon A.
2C-PH