Abstract Floating drug delivery system is one of the novel drug delivery system. Floating drug delivery system has a bulk density less than gastric fluids and thus it remains buoyant in the stomach without affecting gastric emptying rate for a prolonged period of time. Atrovastatin is a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase with half-life 14hr. HMG-CoA reductase catalyzes the reduction of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) to the mevalonate, which is rate-limiting step in hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis. Inhibition of the enzyme decreses denovo cholesterol synthesis, increasing explanation of low density lipoprotein receptors (LDL receptors) on hepocytes.This increases LDL uptake by the hepatocytes, reducing the amount of low density lipoprotin-cholesterol in the blood. Atrovastatin also reduces blood levels of triglycerides and slightly increases levels of HDL-cholesterol. The floating microsphers of Atrovastatin is being prepared by solvent evaporation method by using ethyl cellulose as a polymer and ethanol as a solvent and after the preparation of microsphere; it’s evaluated for particle size, percentage yield, micromeritic properties, in vitro drug and in-vitro buoyancy release of microsphere, drug polymer compatibility, scaning electron microscopy, incorporation efficiency.
Keywords Atrovastatin, Ethyl cellulose, Floating microspheres.