Development of Gelatin/Misoprostol Compounds for Use in Pregnancy Failures

Early abortion is one of the most common complications during pregnancy. However, the frequent handling of the genital region, more precisely the vagina, which causes discomfort to patients in this abortion process due to the frequency of drug insertion, as four pills are inserted every six hours, has led to the search for alternatives to alleviate the suffering caused by this practice in patients who are already in a shaken emotional state. Hence, this work aimed to develop composites of gelatin and misoprostol, using a conventional single-dose drug delivery system. These composites were prepared by freeze/lyophilization technique, by dissolving the gelatin in distilled water, with a concentration of 2.5% (w/v), and misoprostol was incorporated into the gelatin solution at the therapeutic concentration (800 mcg). They were subsequently molded, frozen and lyophilized. The samples of the composites were then crosslinked with sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) 1% (v/v) with respect to the gelatin mass for 5 min. The characterization techniques used were: Optical Microscopy (OM), Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetry (TG), Swelling, Biodegradation and Cytotoxicity. In OM it was observed that the addition of the drug improved the cylindrical appearance of the compounds, in comparison with the sample that was composed of only gelatin. There was a reduction in the degree of swelling with the addition of the drug and crosslinking. The cytotoxicity test indicated the biocompatibility of the material. Based on the results obtained in these tests, the composites have therapeutic potential for uterine emptying in pregnancy failures, especially in the first trimester.