RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the use of spray-dried O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMCS) as potential hydrophilic matrix excipient for sustained release of drug. METHODS: The polymer was synthesized from chitosan, then spray-dried and characterized. Tablets with different OCMCS concentrations (80, 50, 30, 5 and 2% w/w), containing diltiazem (DTZ) as model drug, were prepared for direct compression (DC) and after the wet granulation method (WG). RESULTS: The spray-dried OCMCS powder was spherical, with a smooth surface and an average size of 2.2 µm. The tablets prepared for WG disintegrated in time less than 30 min. The tablets obtained for DC presented high retention of the drug, with zero order or Higuchi release kinetic. There was a direct relationship between the OCMCS concentration and the release ratio, swelling degree and water uptake behavior. DC tablets containing 80% OCMCS presented behavior as an effective swelling-control system. The DC tablets with 5% OCMCS showed a similar release profile at formulations with 30% HPMC. CONCLUSION: Spray-dried OCMCS showed great potential as hydrophilic matrices for drug-sustained release.