Formulation development and evaluation of immediate release of Esmolol Hydrochloride tablet of antihypertensive drug

Abstract

Esmolol hydrochloride is a cardioselective β₁-adrenergic blocker widely used for the rapid management of hypertension and tachyarrhythmias. The present study was undertaken to develop and evaluate an immediate-release (IR) tablet formulation of esmolol hydrochloride using the direct compression technique, with the objective of achieving rapid drug release and acceptable tablet characteristics. Preformulation studies were carried out to assess physicochemical properties, flow behavior, and drug–excipient compatibility. Several tablet formulations (F1–F6) were prepared using different concentrations of superdisintegrants such as croscarmellose sodium and sodium starch glycolate along with suitable diluents and lubricants. The prepared powder blends were evaluated for flow properties, while compressed tablets were assessed for weight variation, hardness, thickness, friability, disintegration time, drug content uniformity, and in vitro dissolution. All formulations complied with pharmacopoeial requirements for physical parameters. In vitro dissolution studies demonstrated rapid drug release, with the optimized formulation releasing more than 85% of esmolol hydrochloride within 30 minutes. The study concludes that an optimized immediate-release tablet of esmolol hydrochloride can be successfully developed using appropriate superdisintegrants, providing rapid drug release and consistent tablet quality, suitable for further stability and scale-up studies.