Polyelectrolyte-coated alginate microspheres as drug delivery carriers for dexamethasone release

Alginate microspheres loaded with dexamethasone were prepared by the droplet generator technique. Important parameters affecting drug release, including initial drug content, the type of polyelectrolyte coating, and a combination of different ratios of coated and uncoated microspheres were investigated to achieve in vitro dexamethasone delivery with approximately zero order release kinetics, releasing up to 100% of entrapped drug within 1 month, wherein dexamethasone released at a steady rate of 4.83 microg/day after an initial burst release period. These findings imply that these polyelectrolyte-coated alginate microspheres show promise as release systems to improve biocompatibility and prolong lifetime of implantable glucose sensors.