Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aimed to formulate and evaluate nebivolol oral jellies using natural polymers as a patient-friendly antihypertensive dosage form suited for pediatric, geriatric, and dysphagic populations. Six formulations (F1–F6) were prepared employing sodium alginate (F1–F3) and a xanthan gum–locust bean gum blend (F4–F6) at varying concentrations to assess their influence on gel strength, drug release, and stability. A validated UV–Visible spectrophotometric method (2–10 µg/mL, R² = 0.999) ensured accurate drug quantification. FTIR spectra confirmed the absence of drug–polymer interactions. All formulations met quality parameters, displaying uniform weight, acceptable pH (4.02–4.20), appropriate moisture content (21–23%), controlled water activity (0.57–0.62), and consistent drug content (97–99%). Texture analysis showed increased firmness with polymer concentration, while in-vitro dissolution demonstrated >80% drug release within 60 minutes for all batches. Among them, F4 exhibited the most desirable balance of firmness, spreadability, stability, and rapid drug release (91.28% at 60 minutes). Accelerated stability testing (40°C/75% RH, 60 days) revealed no significant physicochemical changes. The findings support F4 as a robust, palatable, and stable natural-polymer-based nebivolol jelly with strong potential for patient-centric antihypertensive therapy.