In vitro availability of gliclazide in presence of antacids.

Gliclazide is the most commonly used sulfonylurea derivative for NIDDM therapy. Due to its prolonged therapy, there is always a likelihood of its use with other drugs. On the other hand antacids are commonly prescribed to encounter gastric acidity etc. Present paper deals with the in vitro availability studies of gliclazide in presence of antacids. These studies were carried out in simulated gastric juice and in buffer of pH 7.4 at body and accelerated temperature. The antacids used in these studies were aluminum hydroxide, aluminum trisilicate, magnesium oxide, magnesium trisilicate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, magaldrate and simethicone (2,4-dimethoxypoly-siloxane). It has been found that in case of magnesium oxide, magnesium trisilicate and sodium bicarbonate, availability of gliclazide was enhanced while in rest of the antacids retarded the availability of gliclazide.