Formulation and evaluation of verapamil hydrochloride loaded solid lipid microparticles

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science

Background:

• Verapamil hydrochloride is a widely used calcium channel blocker with limitations in oral delivery.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes and patient compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and characterize verapamil hydrochloride-loaded solid lipid microparticles (SLM) using a w/o/w emulsion solvent evaporation technique.
• To evaluate the potential of these SLM as an oral delivery system for verapamil hydrochloride.

Main Methods:

• Solid lipid microparticles (SLM) were prepared using glyceryl monostearate and Span 60 via w/o/w emulsion solvent evaporation.
• Optimized parameters included drug-polymer ratio, stabilizer concentration, phase viscosity, and stirring rate.
• Characterization involved assessing encapsulation efficiency, particle size, surface morphology, and drug loading.

Main Results:

• SLM with spherical morphology and a particle size of 98.55 ± 1.42 µm were successfully produced.
• Encapsulation efficiency reached 74.29 ± 0.76%, with a drug loading of 18.57 ± 1.25% w/w.
• In vitro release studies showed a low release rate with an initial burst effect, indicating sustained drug delivery.

Conclusions:

• The prepared verapamil hydrochloride SLM demonstrated good encapsulation and drug loading characteristics.
• The SLM system shows promise for oral administration, potentially improving verapamil's half-life, bioavailability, and reducing gastrointestinal side effects.
• The sustained release profile suggests a reduced frequency of drug administration may be possible.