Sustained release of amoxicillin from chitosan tablets

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science

Background:

• Amoxicillin is a widely used antibiotic.
• Developing effective sustained-release drug delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance.
• Chitosan is a biocompatible polymer with potential for drug encapsulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate chitosan (CTS) as a sustained release matrix for amoxicillin.
• To evaluate the effect of chitosan particle size on amoxicillin dissolution.
• To compare the performance of chitosan-based sustained release systems with hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and commercial amoxicillin capsules.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of chitosan tablets and extrudates for amoxicillin release.
• Determination of amoxicillin degradation in pH 1.2.
• Investigation of chitosan particle size effects on dissolution profiles.
• Kinetic analysis of amoxicillin release patterns.

Main Results:

• Chitosan with particle size < 75 micrometers demonstrated the optimal controlled release pattern for amoxicillin.
• The release profile from these chitosan tablets was comparable to hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) tablets.
• Amoxicillin release from chitosan tablets (< 75 micrometers) was significantly superior to commercial capsules.
• Amoxicillin release kinetics from chitosan tablets followed first-order kinetics.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan, particularly with particle size less than 75 micrometers, is an effective material for developing sustained-release amoxicillin formulations.
• Chitosan-based sustained release systems offer a viable alternative to existing drug delivery methods, potentially improving amoxicillin therapy.
• The controlled release characteristics of these chitosan systems are well-described by first-order kinetics.