Objective: The aim of formulating floating tablets of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride was to prolong the gastric residence time after oral administration to achieve the controlled release of drug. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent and it is use in the treatment of bone and joint infections, diarrhoeal infection, lower respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections and meningococcal prophylaxis.Methods: Floating tablets of Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride were prepared by wet granulation method using two different grades (K-100M & K-4M) of Hydroxyl Propyl Methyl Cellulose (HPMC) and Carbopol 934P using effervescent technique. Sodium bicarbonate was incorporated as a gas-generating agent. The floating tablets were evaluated for uniformity of weight, hardness, friability, drug content, in vitro buoyancy and dissolution studies. The effect of citric acid on drug release profile and floating properties was also investigated.Results: It was observed that tablet swelled radially and axially during in vitro buoyancy studies and remained buoyant for 10-14 h. The combination of sodium bicarbonate (70 mg) and citric acid (20 mg) was found to achieve the optimum in vitro buoyancy.Conclusion: In the present work it was concluded that the floating duration of was more in tablet with HPMC K-100 as compared with formulations containing HPMC K-4M. Drug ciprofloxacin hydrochloride release could be prolonged about 14 h in the GIT by using blend of HPMC-K 100M with sodium bicarbonate as gas generating agent and formulate it as a gastro retentive floating tablet.Keywords: Floating lag time, Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, Total floating time, Hydroxyl Propyl Methyl Cellulos
