Effect of polyethylene glycol on preparation of rifampicin-loaded PLGA microspheres with membrane emulsification technique
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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
Characteristics of Precipitation-formed Polyethylene Glycol Microgels Are Controlled by Molecular Weight of Reactants
Published on: December 23, 2013
Fuminori Ito1, Hiroyuki Fujimori, Hiroyuki Honnami
1Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan. fuminoito@spice.ocn.ne.jp
Abstract:
Monodisperse poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres containing rifampicin (RFP), anti-tubercle drug, as hydrophobic model drug were prepared by solvent evaporation method with a membrane emulsification technique using Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG) membranes. Five kinds of rifampicin-loaded PLGA (RFP/PLGA) microspheres with different sizes were prepared by changing pore size of the membranes. Effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) added to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution (continuous phase) upon the monodispersity of microspheres was studied. PEG was used as a stabilizer for microspheres dispersing in PVA solution. The most suitable molecular weight of PEG as a stabilizer was 20,000. RFP/PLGA microspheres prepared with PEG20000 were apparently more uniform than those prepared without PEG. The yield of RFP/PLGA microspheres was 100%. The initial burst observed in the release of RFP from RFP/PLGA microspheres was suppressed by the addition of PEG.
Insights
Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres loaded with the anti-tubercle drug rifampicin (RFP) were prepared using membrane emulsification. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) addition improved microsphere uniformity and suppressed initial drug release.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) is a biodegradable polymer widely used for drug delivery.
- Rifampicin (RFP) is a crucial anti-tubercle drug requiring effective delivery systems.
- Controlling microsphere size and drug release is essential for therapeutic efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare monodisperse poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres loaded with rifampicin (RFP).
- To investigate the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on microsphere characteristics and drug release.
- To optimize the preparation of RFP-loaded PLGA microspheres using Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG) membranes.
Main Methods:
- Microsphere preparation via solvent evaporation and Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG) membrane emulsification.
- Tuning microsphere size by altering SPG membrane pore size.
- Evaluating the impact of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular weight and concentration on microsphere monodispersity and stability.
Main Results:
- Monodisperse RFP-loaded PLGA microspheres were successfully prepared with varying sizes.
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a molecular weight of 20,000 significantly enhanced microsphere monodispersity.
- The addition of PEG reduced the initial burst release of RFP from the PLGA microspheres.
- A 100% yield of RFP-loaded PLGA microspheres was achieved.
Conclusions:
- Membrane emulsification using SPG membranes is an effective method for producing monodisperse RFP-loaded PLGA microspheres.
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) acts as a crucial stabilizer, improving uniformity and controlling drug release kinetics.
- Optimized PEG addition can lead to enhanced drug delivery systems with suppressed initial burst release.
