Formulation and Characterization of Atenolol Buccal Patch for the effective Management of Hypertension

Hypertension remains a major global health challenge affecting approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide, with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Atenolol, a cardioselective β1-adrenergic receptor blocker, is widely prescribed for hypertension management but suffers from limitations including incomplete oral absorption (50% bioavailability), extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism, and short biological half-life (6-7 hours) necessitating frequent dosing. This research article presents a comprehensive investigation into the formulation, optimization, and characterization of mucoadhesive buccal patches containing atenolol for sustained drug delivery and improved therapeutic efficacy in hypertension management. The buccal patches were formulated using various mucoadhesive polymers including hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC K4M), sodium alginate, carbopol 934P, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) by solvent casting technique. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization was performed including weight variation, thickness uniformity, folding endurance, tensile strength, surface pH, moisture content, moisture absorption capacity, drug content uniformity, mucoadhesive strength, and in vitro drug release studies. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed absence of drug-polymer interactions. The optimized formulation exhibited excellent mucoadhesive properties, controlled drug release kinetics following Higuchi model, and favorable physicochemical characteristics. Results indicate that atenolol buccal patches represent a promising alternative drug delivery system capable of bypassing first-pass metabolism, enhancing bioavailability, reducing dosing frequency, and improving patient compliance in chronic hypertension management.