Drug-polymer microparticles produced by supercritical assisted atomization

The supercritical assisted atomization (SAA) was proposed as a new technique to produce composite microparticles for drug controlled release. Ampicillin trihydrate and chitosan were selected as model drug and carrier, respectively, and 1% v/v acetic acid aqueous solution was used as solvent. The effect of the polymer/drug ratio on particle morphology and drug release rate was evaluated. SEM analysis indicated that non-coalescing spherical microparticles formed by chitosan/ampicillin were produced by SAA. All coprecipitates produced have a sharp particle distribution, with diameters ranging between about 0.1 and 6 microm. SAA composite microparticles were characterized by X-ray, DSC, EDX and UV-vis analysis. A solid solution of the chitosan and ampicillin was produced and a stabilizing effect of the polymer on the drug has resulted that protects ampicillin from thermal degradation. A prolonged release from SAA coprecipitates with respect to raw drug and physical mixtures of chitosan and ampicillin was obtained; moreover, the polymer/drug ratio has revealed to be a controlling parameter for drug release. Drug release mechanisms characteristic of swelling-controlled systems were observed, with ampicillin release depending on both relaxation and diffusive mechanisms. An empirical binomial equation was used to describe experimental data, showing a fair good agreement with ampicillin release data if both the relaxational and the diffusional parameters are function of the polymer/drug ratio.     

Drying Using Supercritical Fluid Technology as a Potential Method for Preparation of Chitosan Aerogel Microparticles

Supercritical fluid technology offers several advantages in preparation of microparticles. These include uniformity in particle size, morphology, and drug distribution without degradation of the product. One of the recent advantages is preparation of porous aerogel carrier with proper aerodynamic properties. In this study, we aimed to prepare chitosan aerogel microparticles using supercritical fluid (SCF) technology and compare that with microparticles produced by freeze drying (FD). Loading the prepared carriers with a model drug (salbutamol) was also performed. Comparisons of the particle properties and physicochemical characterizations were undertaken by evaluating particle size, density, specific surface area, and porosity. In vitro drug release studies were also investigated. The effect of many variables, such as molecular weight of chitosan oligomers, concentrations of chitosan, and concentrations of tripolyphosphate on the release, were also investigated. Chitosan aerogels were efficiently produced by SCF technology with an average particle size of 10 μm with a tapped density values around 0.12 g/mL, specific surface area (73–103) m²/g, and porosity (0.20–0.29) cc/g. Whereas, microparticles produced by FD method were characterized as cryogels with larger particle size (64 microns) with clear cracking at the surface. Sustained release profile was achieved for all prepared microparticles of salbutamol produced by the aforementioned methods as compared with pure drug. The results also demonstrates that chitosan molecular weight, polymer concentration, and tripolyphosphate concentration affected the release profile of salbutamol from the prepared microparticles. In conclusion, SCF technology was able to produce chitosan aerogel microparticles loaded with salbutamol that could be suitable for pulmonary drug delivery system.KEY WORDS: aerodynamic, aerogels, chitosan, salbutamol, supercritical fluid technology     

壳聚糖装载猪胸腺肽微球给药

目的：以猪胸腺肽为芯材、壳聚糖为壁材,采用乳化交联结合单凝聚法制备猪胸腺肽壳聚糖口服微球。方法：以壁材浓度、交联剂含量、油水比值、芯材壁材比值为四因素设计正交实验,确定微球最佳制备条件,并对其体外释放及稳定性进行研究。结果：制备微球最优化条件为壳聚糖浓度1％、25％戊二醛含量7％、油水比值2：1、壳聚糖与胸腺肽比值1：1;微球在pH1．5的HC1溶液中2h释放30％,在pH6．8及7．4的PBS缓冲液中最终释放度约80％,并在24h达到释放终点;微球30rain突释率约为10％,1h释放率约为20％,其后缓慢而持续地释放;猪胸腺肽壳聚糖微球在0℃保存8个月时微球外观及形态没有差异,药物剩余率约为91．8％。结论：采用乳化交联结合单凝聚法制备的猪胸腺肽壳聚糖口服微球为缓释给药系统的临床应用奠定了理论基础,具有重要的实际应用价值和社会意义。     

Formation of Inhalable Rifampicin–Poly(l-lactide) Microparticles by Supercritical Anti-solvent Process

Formation of inhalable microparticles containing rifampicin and poly(l-lactide) (L-PLA) by using supercritical anti-solvent process (SAS) was investigated. The solutions of drug and polymer in methylene chloride were sprayed into supercritical carbon dioxide. The effect of polymer content and operating conditions, temperature, pressure, carbon dioxide molar fraction, and concentration of solution, on product characteristics were studied. The prepared microparticles were characterized with respect to their morphology, particle size and size distribution, drug content, drug loading efficiency, and drug release characteristic. Discrete, spherical microparticles were obtained at high polymer:drug ratios of 7:3, 8:2, and 9:1. The shape of L-PLA microparticles became more irregular and agglomerated with decreasing polymer content. Microparticles with polymer content higher than 60% exhibited volumetric mean diameter less than 5 μm, but percent drug loading efficiency was relatively low. Drug-loaded microparticles containing 70% and 80% L-PLA showed a sustainable drug release property without initial burst release. Operating temperature level influenced on mean size and size distribution of microparticles. The operating pressure and carbon dioxide molar fraction in the range investigated were unlikely to have an effect on microparticle formation. An increasing concentration of feed solution provided larger size microparticles. Rifampicin-loaded L-PLA microparticles could be produced by SAS in a size range suitable for dry powder inhaler formulation.     

Effect of Formulation and Process Parameters on Chitosan Microparticles Prepared by an Emulsion Crosslinking Technique

There are many studies about the synthesis of chitosan microparticles; however, most of them have very low production rate, have wide size distribution, are difficult to reproduce, and use harsh crosslinking agents. Uniform microparticles are necessary to obtain repeatable drug release behavior. The main focus of this investigation was to study the effect of the process and formulation parameters during the preparation of chitosan microparticles in order to produce particles with narrow size distribution. The technique evaluated during this study was emulsion crosslinking technique. Chitosan is a biocompatible and biodegradable material but lacks good mechanical properties; for that reason, chitosan was ionically crosslinked with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) at three different ratios (32, 64, and 100%). The model drug used was acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). During the preparation of the microparticles, chitosan was first mixed with ASA and then dispersed in oil containing an emulsifier. The evaporation of the solvents hardened the hydrophilic droplets forming microparticles with spherical shape. The process and formulation parameters were varied, and the microparticles were characterized by their morphology, particle size, drug loading efficiency, and drug release behavior. The higher drug loading efficiency was achieved by using 32% mass ratio of TPP to chitosan. The average microparticle size was 18.7 μm. The optimum formulation conditions to prepare uniform spherical microparticles were determined and represented by a region in a triangular phase diagram. The drug release analyses were evaluated in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4 and were mainly completed at 24 h.     

Injectable biodegradable starch/chitosan delivery system for the sustained release of gentamicin to treat bone infections

Starch-conjugated chitosan microparticles were produced aimed to be used as a carrier for the long term sustained/controlled release of antibiotic drugs to control bone infection. The microparticles were prepared by a reductive alkylation crosslinking method. The obtained microparticles showed a spherical shape, with a slightly rough and porous surface, and a size range of 80-150 μm. Gentamicin was entrapped into the starch-conjugated chitosan microparticles and its release profile was studied in vitro. Increasing concentrations of gentamicin (from 50 to 150 mg/mL) led to a decrease in the encapsulation efficiency (from 67 to 55%), while drug loading increased from 4 to 27%. A sustained release of gentamicin was observed over a period of 30 days. The release kinetics could be controlled using an ionic crosslinker agent. In addition, a bacterial inhibition test on Staphylococcus aureus shows a diameter of the sample inhibition zone ranging from 12 to 17 mm (70-100% of relative activity).     

尺寸均一的壳聚糖微球的制备及其作为胰岛素控释载体的研究

采用新型微孔膜乳化技术制备了载胰岛素的壳聚糖微球。研究表明,要制备粒径均一的壳聚糖微球,必须将亲水性膜修饰成疏水性;制得的微球粒径和所采用的膜孔径之间存在很好的线性关系,使得微球粒径可控;以胰岛素为模型药物,主要考察了交联剂用量和交联时间对微球表面形态、药物包埋率和微球体外释药特性的影响。结果表明当氨基与醛基的摩尔比为1∶0.7、交联时间为1h时,所得载药微球的包埋率最高,随着戊二醛用量的增加和交联时间的延长,药物体外释放速率减慢。     

Preparation and characterization of sodium hexameta phosphate cross-linked chitosan microspheres for controlled and sustained delivery of centchroman

The cross-linked microspheres using chitosan with different molecular weights and degree of deacetylation have been prepared in presence of sodium hexameta polyphosphate (SHMP) as physical cross-linker. The degree of cross-linking through electrostatic interactions in chitosan microspheres has been evaluated by varying the charge density on chitosan and varying degree of dissociation of sodium hexameta polyphosphate by solution pH. The degree of deacetylation and molecular weight of chitosan has controlled electrostatic interactions between hexameta polyphosphate anions and chitosan, which played significant role in swelling, loading and release characteristics of chitosan microspheres for centchroman. The microspheres prepared by hexameta polyphosphate anions cross-linker were compact and more hydrophobic than covalently cross-linked microspheres, which has been attributed to the participation of all amino groups of chitosan in physical cross-linking with added hexameta polyphosphate anions. The microspheres prepared under different experimental conditions have shown an initial step of burst release, which was followed by a step of controlled release for centchroman. The extent of drug release in these steps has shown dependence on properties of chitosan and degree of cross-linking between chitosan and added polyanions. The degree of swelling and release characteristics of microspheres was also studied in presence of organic and inorganic salts, which shown significant effect on controlled characteristics of microspheres due to variations in ionic strength of the medium. The initial step of drug release has followed first order kinetics and become zero order after attaining an equilibrium degree of swelling in these microspheres. The microspheres prepared using chitosan with 62% (w/w) degree of deacetylation and molecular weight of 1134 kg mol⁻¹ have shown a sustained release for centchroman for 50 h at 4% (w/w) degree of cross-linking with SHMP.     

Sulfasalazine release from alginate-N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan gel beads coated by chitosan

In the present study, spherical beads were prepared from a water-soluble chitosan (N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan, NOCC) and alginate with ionic gelation method. Then, swollen calcium–alginate–NOCC beads were coated with chitosan. To prepare drug loaded beads, sulfasalazine (SA) was added to the initial aqueous polymer solution. The effect of coating, as well as drying procedure, on the swelling behavior of unloaded beads and SA release of drug loaded ones were evaluated in simulated gastrointestinal tract fluid. The rate of swelling and drug release were decreased for air-dried and coated beads in comparison with freeze-dried and uncoated ones, respectively. No burst release of drug was observed from whole tested beads. Chitosan coated beads released approximately 40% of encapsulated drug in simulated gastric and small intestine tract fluid. Based on these results, the chitosan coated alginate–NOCC hydrogel may be used as potential polymeric carrier for colon-specific delivery of sulfasalazine.     

The Effect of Chitosan as Internal or External Coating on the 5-ASA Release from Calcium Alginate Microparticles

The effect of chitosan as internal or external coating on the mesalamine (5-ASA) release from calcium alginate microparticles (CaAl) was studied, and a delayed release of 5-ASA system intended for colonic drug delivery was developed. The external chitosan coating was developed by immersion of wetted CaAl in chitosan solution and the internal coating by mixing 5-ASA with chitosan solution and drying before the preparation of CaAl. Both systems were coated with Acryl-EZE^® using combined fluid bed coating and immersion procedure. The results showed that in phosphate medium (pH 7.5), chitosan as 5-ASA coating promotes a quick erosion process accelerating drug release, but chitosan as external coating (CaAlCS) does not increase the T ₅₀ value compared with the microparticles without chitosan (CaAl). Chitosan as internal or external coating was not effective to avoid the quick 5-ASA release in acidic medium (pH 1.2). The presence of β-glucosidase enzymes increases significantly the 5-ASA release for CaAl, while no effect was observed with chitosan as internal or external coating. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray data revealed that 5-ASA did not form a solid solution but was dispersed in the microparticles. The Acryl-EZE^® coating of microparticles was effective because all the formulations showed a low release, less than 15%, of 5-ASA in acid medium at pH 1.2. Significant differences in the percentage of 5-ASA released between formulations were observed in phosphate buffer at pH 6.0. In phosphate buffer at pH 7.2, all the formulations released 100% of 5-ASA.     

Synthesis and characterization of pH-sensitive hydrogel composed of carboxymethyl chitosan for colon targeted delivery of ornidazole

In the present study, carboxymethyl chitosan was prepared from chitosan, crosslinked with glutaraldehyde and evaluated in vitro as a potential carrier for colon targeted drug delivery of ornidazole. Ornidazole was incorporated at the time of crosslinking of carboxymethyl chitosan. The chitosan was evaluated for its degree of deacetylation (DD) and average molecular weight; which were found to be 84.6% and 3.5×10(4) Da, respectively. The degree of substitution on prepared carboxymethyl chitosan was found to be 0.68. All hydrogel formulations showed more than 85% and 74% yield and drug loading, respectively. The swelling behaviour of prepared hydrogels checked in different pH values, 1.2, 6.8 and 7.4, indicated pH responsive swelling characteristic with very less swelling at pH 1.2 and quick swelling at pH 6.8 followed by linear swelling at pH 7.4 with slight increase. In vitro release profile was carried out at the same conditions as in swelling and drug release was found to be dependant on swelling of hydrogels and showed biphasic release pattern with non-fickian diffusion kinetics at higher pH. The carboxymethylation of chitosan, entrapment of drug and its interaction in prepared hydrogels were checked by FTIR, (1)H NMR, DSC and p-XRD studies, which confirmed formation of carboxymethyl chitosan from chitosan and absence of any significant chemical change in ornidazole after being entrapped in crosslinked hydrogel formulations. The surface morphology of formulation S6 checked before and after dissolution, revealed open channel like pores formation after dissolution.     

Glutaraldehyde and glyoxal cross-linked chitosan microspheres for controlled delivery of centchroman

Glutaraldehyde and glyoxal cross-linked microspheres were prepared using chitosan with different molecular weights (MWs) and degrees of deacetylation (DDAs) for sustained release of centchroman under physiological conditions. The DDA in chitosan was determined by different methods, and the samples were categorized as chitosan with low (48%), medium (62%), and high (75%) DDA. The size and shape of the microspheres were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and hydrophobicity was determined by adsorption of Rose Bengal dye on microspheres cross-linked with glutaraldehyde or glyoxal. The effect of MW, DDA, and degree of cross-linking in microspheres was studied on the degree of swelling, as well as by the loading and release of centchroman. The glyoxal cross-linked microspheres were more compact and hydrophobic and showed better sustained release in companion to chitosan microspheres and glutaraldehyde cross-linked microspheres. The linear fractional release of centchroman with the square root of time indicated a Fickian behavior of centchroman, and the microspheres also showed zero-order release kinetics for centchroman.     

一种可止血的富血小板血浆壳聚糖/丝素蛋白多孔伤口敷料的制备及性能表征

为了进一步提高伤口敷料的止血性能,文中在生物相容性良好的壳聚糖溶液中引入含有多种生长因子的人源性富血小板血浆(Humanplatelet-richplasma,hPRP),并加入不同体积比例(1∶1、1∶3、3∶1、1∶0)的丝素蛋白溶液以提高材料的多孔性与止血性,通过冷冻干燥法制备不同配比的hPRP-壳聚糖/丝素蛋白敷料,并将纯壳聚糖敷料作为对照组,研究hPRP和丝素蛋白对敷料的止血性能的影响以及丝素蛋白对PRP中生长因子控制释放的影响。结果表明,在壳聚糖敷料中引入hPRP对敷料的止血性有所提高,但对敷料的多孔结构及吸水率无明显改善,若在hPRP-壳聚糖溶液中按照体积比为1∶1的比例加入丝素蛋白溶液,会得到具有较为均匀的多孔结构的敷料,敷料的孔隙率与吸水率分别可达到86.83%±3.84%与1 474%±114%,且该比例的敷料在快速止血性能上表现优异。此外,加入丝素蛋白与壳聚糖比例为1∶1的PRP敷料能有效减少PRP中生长因子在初始阶段的爆裂释放。因此,含hPRP的壳聚糖/丝素蛋白复合敷料有望成为一种能快速止血且能促进伤口愈合的新型伤口敷料。     

Study of electrokinetic potential of drug micro-carriers prepared from resorbable polymers bioplastotan

The study investigates electrokinetic potentials of microparticles prepared from biodegradable poly-3-hydroxybutyrate depending upon the method of preparation employed and taking into account the size of particles maintained in liquid media. The ζ-potential of microparticles prepared from emulsion by solvent evaporation method was ?20 mV; the ζ-potential of microparticles prepared by spray drying was reduced to ?95 mV. The value of ζ-potential was influenced by drug loading into microparticles; the drug-loaded microparticles maintained in balanced phosphate buffer for 30 days had higher physical stability than those without drug loading.     

Evaluation of Chitosan/Alginate Beads Using Experimental Design: Formulation and <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Vitro</Emphasis> Characterization

Bovine serum albumin-loaded beads were prepared by ionotropic gelation of alginate with calcium chloride and chitosan. The effect of sodium alginate concentration and chitosan concentration on the particle size and loading efficacy was studied. The diameter of the beads formed is dependent on the size of the needle used. The optimum condition for preparation alginate–chitosan beads was alginate concentration of 3% and chitosan concentration of 0.25% at pH 5. The resulting bead formulation had a loading efficacy of 98.5% and average size of 1,501 μm, and scanning electron microscopy images showed spherical and smooth particles. Chitosan concentration significantly influenced particle size and encapsulation efficiency of chitosan–alginate beads (p < 0.05). Decreasing the alginate concentration resulted in an increased release of albumin in acidic media. The rapid dissolution of chitosan–alginate matrices in the higher pH resulted in burst release of protein drug.     

Impact of Cross-linking and Drying Method on Drug Delivery Performance of Casein–Pectin Microparticles

Pectin is a heteropolysaccharide which has been investigated for the development of colon-specific drug delivery systems. Polymers have been associated with pectin to reduce its aqueous solubility and improve the performance of drug delivery systems. Pectin–casein interaction is widely known in food research, but it has not been fully considered by pharmaceutical scientists. Thus, this study investigated the potential of casein–pectin microparticles as a drug delivery system and clarified the impact of cross-linking and drying methods on the in vitro release of indomethacin (IND) or acetaminophen (PCT) from microparticles. Microparticles were prepared by coacervation and dried by spray or spouted bed methods. Drug recovery, in vitro drug release, size, morphology, and the thermal and diffractometric properties of dried microparticles were determined. Spray-dried non-cross-linked microparticles were able to prolong IND release, and pectin was still degraded by pectinolytic enzymes. On the other hand, glutaraldehyde cross-linking prevented the enzymatic breakdown of pectin without improving IND release. Spouted bed drying reduced IND recovery from all microparticles when compared with spray drying, thus the successful spouted bed drying of microparticles depends on the chemical characteristics of both the drug and the polymer. Release data from PCT microparticles suggested that the microparticle formulation should be improved to bring about a more efficient delivery of water-soluble drugs. In conclusion, casein–pectin microparticles show great potential as a drug delivery system because casein reduces the water solubility of pectin. The drying method and cross-linking process had significant effects on the in vitro performance of these microparticles.     

A protein delivery system: biodegradable alginate-chitosan-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) composite microspheres

In the present study we developed alginate-chitosan-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) composite microspheres to elevate protein entrapment efficiency and decrease its burst release. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), which used as the model protein, was entrapped into the alginate microcapsules by a modified emulsification method in an isopropyl alcohol-washed way. The rapid drug releases were sustained by chitosan coating. To obtain the desired release properties, the alginate-chitosan microcapsules were further incorporated in the PLGA to form the composite microspheres. The average diameter of the composite microcapsules was 31+/-9microm and the encapsulation efficiency was 81-87%, while that of conventional PLGA microspheres was just 61-65%. Furthermore, the burst releases at 1h of BSA entrapped in composite microspheres which containing PLGA (50:50) and PLGA (70:30) decreased to 24% and 8% in PBS, and further decreased to 5% and 2% in saline. On the contrary, the burst releases of conventional PLGA microspheres were 48% and 52% in PBS, respectively. Moreover, the release profiles could be manipulated by regulating the ratios of poly(lactic acid) to poly(glycolic acid) in the composite microspheres.     

Preparation and characteristics of high-amylose corn starch/pectin blend microparticles: A technical note

Summary and Conclusions  The HACS/pectin blend microparticles were prepared by spray-drying technique to obtain effective targeted drug release to the colon. The mean particle size of the micro-particles (plain and blend) that were prepared in the present study was between 5.8 and 7.3 μm. The microparticles were positively charged (ζ potential was in the range of 20.3 to 30.8), and the encapsulation efficiency was between 80.1% and 94.7%. The blending of HACS with pectin improved the encapsulation efficiency and decreased the drug dissolution in the gastric condition (pH 1.2) from the pectin-based microparticles. Results of the drug release study indicated that the colonic-controlled drug delivery could be obtained from spray-dried HACS/pectin blend microparticles, and the drug release mechanism was found to be by diffusion or erosion or a combination of both. Published: September 30, 2005.     

Antibacterial Activity and Drug Release of Chitosan Sponge Containing Doxycycline Hyclate

The purpose of the present study was to develop and characterize the chitosan sponges loading with doxycycline hyclate and their antibacterial activities. The pore density of chitosan sponge prepared with freeze drying technique was increased as the higher concentrated chitosan solution was used. The sponge prepared from 10% w/w of the chitosan solution and crosslinking with glutaraldehyde solution was utilized for loading with doxycycline hyclate. The drug release and sustainable antibacterial activity of fabricated sponge were assessed using dissolution test and agar diffusion test, respectively. Drug release from non-crosslinked sponge into phosphate buffer pH7.4 was slower than that from crosslinked sponge since the former could absorb the medium and form gel to retard the initial drug diffusion. Sustainable antibacterial activity of developed sponge was evident against S. aureus and E. coli. In conclusion, the in vitro release profile and antibacterial efficiency indicated that doxycycline hyclate could be sustained using chitosan sponge.     

PEGylated rosin derivatives: Novel microencapsulating materials for sustained drug delivery

The aim of this study was to investigate PEGylated rosin derivatives (PRDs) as microencapsulating materials for sustained drug delivery. PRDs (D1, D2, and D3) composed of a constant weight of rosin and varied amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 and maleic anhydride were synthesized in the laboratory. Microparticles were prepared by the O/O solvent evaporation technique using the acetone/paraffin system. Diclofenac sodium (DFS) and diltiazem hydrochloride (DLTZ) were used as model drugs. The effect of the type of PRD, drug, PRD:drug ratio, viscosity of external phase, stirring speed, concentration of magnesium stearate (droplet stabilizer), and method of preparation on particle size, drug loading, and drug release profiles of microparticles was investigated. PRDs could produce discrete and spherical microspheres (with DFS) and microcapsules (with DLTZ). The drug loading value for microparticles was found to be in the range of 37.21% to 87.90%. The microparticle size range was 14 to 36 μm. The particle size and drug loadings of microparticles were substantially affected by the concentration of magnesium stearate and the type of drug, respectively. Most of the formulations could sustain the DFS and DLTZ release for 20 hours. DFS and DLTZ release from PRD microparticles followed Hixson-Crowell and first-order kinetics, respectively. The results suggest that PRDs can be used successfully to prepare discrete and spherical microparticles with DFS and DLTZ for sustained drug delivery. Published: June 22, 2007