Evaluation of lansoprazole enteric hard capsule encapsulated by sodium alginic acid

An effective drug treatment for peptic ulcer and reflux esophagitis is the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) such as lansoprazole. However when the lansoprazole is exposed to low pH, its dissolution rate becomes low and thus re-precipitation occurs. Therefore an enteric solute capsule was prepared using sodium alginate and wet granulation process. This formulation aimed to inhibit release in acidic conditions of stomach fluid and to cause rapid drug release under conditions of intense, neutral or weakly alkaline conditions. DSC, XRD, FTIR, and SEM were performed to characterize the manufactured hard capsules. In order to confirm that the formulation was properly designed, the dissolution rate was confirmed through in vitro dissolution behavior. Based on these results, it can be confirmed that lansoprazole enteric capsules containing sodium alginate can be used as a treatment for peptic ulcer and reflux esophagitis.