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Alginate microparticles prepared by spray-coagulation method: preparation, drug loading and release characterization
1Thomas J Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of the Pacific, 751 Brookside Road, Stockton, CA 95211, USA.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|September 1, 2005
Summary
A novel spray-coagulation method creates porous alginate microparticles for drug delivery. These microparticles show potential for controlled release of poorly water-soluble drugs in acidic environments.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Alginate microparticles are widely used in drug delivery.
- Controlling the porosity and drug release characteristics of alginate microparticles is crucial for effective drug delivery systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a scalable spray-coagulation method for producing porous alginate microparticles.
- To investigate the influence of preparation variables on microparticle porosity.
- To evaluate the drug loading and release profiles of model compounds from the prepared microparticles.
Main Methods:
- Spray-coagulation technique for microparticle preparation.
- Optimization of alginate concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and alginate composition (G/M ratio).
- Drug loading via adsorption using Methylene Blue (MB) and 4-phenylazoaniline (PAA) as model drugs.
- In vitro drug release studies in deionized water, 0.1N HCl, and phosphate buffer (pH 6.8).
- Characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR).
Main Results:
- The spray-coagulation method successfully produced porous alginate microparticles.
- Microparticle porosity was significantly affected by alginate concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and alginate G/M ratio.
- Drug release varied depending on the model compound's solubility and the release medium.
- Incomplete release was observed in deionized water; rapid release of MB occurred in 0.1N HCl.
- PAA showed slow release in 0.1N HCl and fast release in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8).
- SEM, DSC, and FT-IR analyses confirmed interactions between model drugs and alginate microparticles.
Conclusions:
- Porous alginate microparticles can be effectively prepared using the spray-coagulation method.
- The adsorption method is suitable for loading drugs into these microparticles.
- The developed alginate microparticles show promise for delaying the release of poorly water-soluble drugs in acidic conditions.