Paper Title
FLUID GEL AS A POTENTIAL DOSAGE FORM FOR DYSPHAGIA: PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL STABILITY

Abstract
Abstract - Dysphagia is associated with many diseases and hasten to serious implications including morbidity and mortality. By increasing bolus viscosity of medication like fluid gels, drugs can be administered to patients with dysphagia safely. Other than masking medication bitterness, fluid gels can be easily swallowed. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of fluid gels depends on their stability which may impact the patient health. This study therefore aimed to prepare and evaluate the physical, chemical and biological stability of fluid gels containing paracetamol as a drug model. Fluid gels were formulated using 0.5 % w/v gellan gum and determined for their physicochemical properties upon storage at room temperature (25°C ± 5°C), 5°C ± 3°C and accelerated condition (40°C ± 2°C/75 ± 5% relative humidity) for three months as per International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Paracetamol fluid gels demonstrated an acceptable physical, chemical, and microbiological stability at the storage temperature of 8 °C and 25 °C with the shelf-life of 0.626 years. Taken together, this fluid gel had demonstrated stability at 8 °C and 25 °C. Hence, it can be a great strategy to deliver medication safely and effectively, making it potentially suitable for patients with dysphagia. Keywords - Drug Compatibility, Storage Stability, Sheared Gel, Shelf-Life.