Oral route of administration continues to be the most preferred route among the different routes of administration of drugs due to various advantages including ease of ingestion, avoidance of pain, versatility and most importantly patient compliance. Orally disintegrating tablets have gained popularity and acceptance as a drug delivery system, mainly because they are easy to administer and lead to better patient compliance particularly in many patients groups, such as the elderly, children and patients who are mentally retarded, non-cooperative, nauseated or are on reduced liquid intake or diets have difficulties swallowing the conventional dosage forms. The present work involves the formulation development and in-vitro evaluation of orally disintegrating ofloxacin tablets. To minimize critical process parameters direct compression method was selected for the formulation. Tablets were prepared containing ofloxacin, pharmatose DCL 21, aspartame, aerosil-200, magnessium stearate, cross carmellose sodium and cross povidone in different concentrations ranges. During the course of study it was found that the formulation F5 containing cross carmellose sodium and cross povidone in combination as super disintegrant exhibited acceptable disintegration time, percentage drug content per tablet and In vitro drug release. Moreover, the use of aspartame as artificial sweetener helped to mask the bitter taste of the drug to a considerable extent. So at last it was concluded that orally disintegrating ofloxacin tablets containing pharmatose DCL 21 as diluent and 5% of super disintegrant in combination and aspartame as artificial sweetener to counter act the bitterness of the drug can be prepared using direct compression which met the required specifications.
