Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Preparation and Characterization of Individual and Multi-drug Loaded Physically Entrapped Polymeric Micelles
Published on: August 28, 2015
Poloxamer 407 microspheres for orotransmucosal drug delivery. Part I: formulation, manufacturing and characterization
B Albertini1, N Passerini, M Di Sabatino
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. beatrice.albertini@unibo.it
Abstract:
The two-part article aimed to investigate poloxamer 407-based microspheres as a novel platform for enhancing and controlling the delivery of atenolol across the oromucosal tissue. In the Part I of the work, atenolol-loaded poloxamers 407 microparticles were prepared by the solvent free spray congealing technology. This approach was feasible upon the high viscosity of the systems allowing for high loaded (20% w/w) non-aggregated microspheres. Several formulations were studied and the results demonstrated that the drug release patterns, solubility data, mucoadhesion to buccal tissue and gelling properties in saliva could be modified by adding different amount of an amphiphilic polymer-lipid excipient (Gelucire(®) 50/13) to poloxamer 407. Particularly, microspheres based only on poloxamer 407 exhibited very high solubility, mucoadhesive strength and gelling behaviour. To assess their potential as matrix for buccal application, the gelling property and the drug release from tablets obtained from direct compression of the microparticles were further evaluated. The microspheres were then characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform-infrared spectra analysis. No solid state modifications and chemical interactions were detectable in the microspheres after manufacturing and during storage, suggesting their stability and use as orotransmucosal delivery systems.
Related Concept Videos
Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Oral Drug Delivery Systems: Introduction
Factors Influencing Drug Absorption: Pharmaceutical Parameters
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Polymorphic Form-Related and Particle Size-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Drug Delivery Systems: Different Types
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Polymorphism, Amorphism and Pseudopolymorphism
Some polymorphic crystals possess lower aqueous solubility than their amorphous counterparts, leading to incomplete absorption. For instance, the oral suspension of Chloramphenicol, which...
