Oral administration of glibenclamide appears to lower the blood glucose level acutely by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas, an effect dependent upon functioning beta cells in the pancreatic islets. The objective of this study was to develop controlled release beads of glibenclamide by using ionotropic gelation technique. Calcium alginate beads were formed, as alginate undergoes ionotropic gelation by calcium ions and carbon dioxide develops from the reaction of carbonate salts with acid. The ingredients used for the preparation of beads were sodium alginate, HPMC K15M, carbopol 934 and calcium chloride. The prepared beads were optimized for various process parameters like drug: alginate ratio, concentration of HPMC and concentration of carbopol. The prepared beads were free flowing and white in colour. The beads were evaluated for parameters like drug encapsulation efficiency, swelling index, flow properties and in vitro drug release. The yields were varying from 78.14-93.62% and the drug entrapment efficiency is up to 89.97%. Formulations have sustained the release for more than 12 hrs. Carbopol had higher effect of sustained release than HPMC. In vitro studies demonstrated the coupling of swelling and erosion mechanism so called as anomalous transport (non-fickian diffusion).
