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Formulation of epichlorohydrin cross-linked starch microspheres
G Hamdi1, G Ponchel, D Duchêne
1Laboratoire de Pharmacotechnie et Biopharmacie, URA CNRS 1218 Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Paris-Sud, Châtenay-Malabry, France.
Journal of Microencapsulation
|April 20, 2001
Summary
This study presents a water/oil emulsion method for creating starch microspheres using epichlorohydrin. Stirring rate is key to controlling particle size for applications like pulmonary drug delivery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Pharmaceutical Technology
Background:
- Microsphere production is crucial for drug delivery systems.
- Controlling particle size and distribution is essential for applications like pulmonary administration.
- Starch microspheres offer biocompatibility and biodegradability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a water/oil emulsion technique for producing starch microspheres.
- To investigate methods for controlling particle size and size distribution.
- To assess the influence of process parameters on microsphere morphology.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a water/oil emulsion technique.
- Cross-linked soluble starch with epichlorohydrin.
- Controlled emulsification parameters such as stirring rate, phase ratio, and surfactant presence.
Main Results:
- Achieved microspheres ranging from 0.3-250 microm with narrow size distributions.
- Identified stirring rate as crucial for controlling particle size.
- Demonstrated that high organic-to-aqueous phase ratio and surfactant prevented droplet coalescence.
- Found the process insensitive to cross-linking ratio, allowing polymer modification.
Conclusions:
- The water/oil emulsion technique effectively produces controllable starch microspheres.
- Process parameters, particularly stirring rate, are vital for achieving desired particle characteristics.
- This method offers flexibility in tailoring microsphere properties for specific applications, including pulmonary delivery.