Acetaminophen particle design using chitosan and a spray-drying technique

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Poorly water-soluble drugs often exhibit limited bioavailability.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes.
• Chitosan is a biocompatible polymer with potential for drug encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize acetaminophen-chitosan matrix particles for sustained drug release.
• To investigate the effect of spray-drying on acetaminophen crystallinity and drug-carrier interactions.
• To evaluate the in vitro drug release profiles of the prepared matrix particles at different pH levels.

Main Methods:

• Spray-drying was employed to create acetaminophen-chitosan composite particles.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed particle morphology.
• Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) assessed crystallinity.
• Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analyzed drug-carrier interactions.
• In vitro drug release studies were conducted at pH 1.2 and 6.8.

Main Results:

• Spherical acetaminophen-chitosan matrix particles with smooth surfaces were successfully prepared.
• A decrease in acetaminophen crystallinity was observed with reduced drug-to-carrier ratios, indicating solid dispersion.
• FT-IR analysis revealed hydrogen bonding between acetaminophen and chitosan.
• Matrix particles exhibited sustained acetaminophen release compared to physical mixtures, with T70 increasing significantly at both pH values.

Conclusions:

• Spray-dried acetaminophen-chitosan matrix particles effectively form a solid dispersion, reducing drug crystallinity.
• The developed matrix particles demonstrate potential as a sustained release formulation for poorly water-soluble drugs.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for enhancing the pharmacokinetic profiles of therapeutic agents.