Alginate-pectin-poly-L-lysine particulate as a potential controlled release formulation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes, especially for orally administered drugs with poor absorption.
• Particulate drug delivery systems offer potential for controlled release and enhanced bioavailability.
• Alginate and pectin are biocompatible polymers with potential for drug encapsulation and absorption enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel drug delivery particulates using alginate, polylysine, and pectin.
• To evaluate the in vitro release profiles of model drugs (theophylline, chlorothiazide, indomethacin) from these particulates.
• To assess the impact of these particulates on paracellular drug absorption using mannitol and Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of drug delivery particulates using alginate, polylysine, and pectin.
• In vitro drug release studies under different pH conditions.
• Assessment of paracellular drug absorption across Caco-2 cell monolayers using mannitol as a model compound.

Main Results:

• Alginate-polylysine-pectin particulates demonstrated enhanced robustness, particularly in acidic conditions, due to pectin incorporation.
• Pectin modulated drug release profiles in alkaline pH.
• These particulates significantly enhanced paracellular absorption of mannitol across Caco-2 cells by approximately threefold.
• Drug release kinetics followed first-order or square-root time models depending on drug loading.

Conclusions:

• Alginate-polylysine-pectin particulates offer a promising drug delivery platform combining bioadhesion, absorption enhancement, and sustained release properties.
• The system shows potential for improving the oral delivery of drugs with poor absorption.
• The use of pectin contributes to particulate stability and controlled drug release.