114FORMULATION AND INVITRO EVALUATION OF RANITIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE FLOATING TABLETSFormulation of floating drug delivery system is to increase the safety of the drug and to extend its duration of action. This novel drug delivery system is essential for the drugs that are degraded in the intestine .This floating drug delivery system is aimed at providing increased bioavailability. Floating drug delivery system can be retained in the stomach for long time by formulating Ranitidine hydrochloride with low density polymers like hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose and gas generating agents are added to the system to reduce the density of the system. Intimate contact of the drug with the absorbing membrane has the potential to maximize the drug absorption. The controlled release of drug is according to the physiological state of the subject and design of the pharmaceutical formulation. Formulation was optimized on the basis of floating time and invitro drug release. The tablet was subjected to evaluation for physical characteristics like weight variation, hardness, friability, drug content uniformity, floating lag time and floating time and invitro drug release. Three different formulations of ranitidine hydrochloride were formulated by variation in the ratio of hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose. From the investigation it’s found that Ranitidine hydrochloride incorporated with 120mg of HPMC was found to be better formulation by considering all the evaluated parameters like lag time, hardness, friability and weight variation and percentage drug release.dhivyapsundaram@gmail.comResearch342012Ranitidine hydrochloride,Hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose,Floating drug delivery systemS. Dhivya,M. Nishanthi,M. Jyostna,M. Jyostna,B. VijayakumarDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Periyar College of Pharmaceutical Sciences for Girls, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India.,Department of Pharmacognosy, Sri Venkateswara College of pharmacy, R.V.S Nagar, Chittoor-517127, Andrapradesh, India. ,Department of Pharmaceutics, Sri Venkateswara College of pharmacy, R.V.S Nagar, Chittoor-517127, Andrapradesh, India.,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vagdevi College of pharmacy and research centre, Brahmadevam, Nellore-524346, Andrapradesh, India,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Sri Venkateswara College of pharmacy, R.V.S Nagar, Chittoor-517127, Andrapradesh, India.