Expandable Gastroretentive Films Based on Anthocyanin-Rich Rice Starch for Improved Ferulic Acid Delivery

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Ferulic acid (FA) possesses significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties but suffers from poor water solubility, limiting its therapeutic use.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial to overcome FA's bioavailability challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and characterize expandable gastroretentive films for enhanced delivery of ferulic acid (FA).
• To evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of FA delivered via rice starch-based films.

Main Methods:

• Ferulic acid solid dispersion (FA-SD) was prepared using Eudragit® EPO.
• Expandable gastroretentive films were fabricated using Hom-Nil rice, glutinous rice, or white rice starches, chitosan, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) via solvent casting.
• Film properties, FA release kinetics, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities were assessed.

Main Results:

• FA-SD achieved a 24-fold increase in FA solubility.
• Optimal films exhibited favorable mechanical properties, swelling, and unfolding behavior.
• Films containing HPMC and Hom-Nil or glutinous rice starch provided sustained FA release over 8 hours.
• Hom-Nil rice starch-based films demonstrated superior antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities compared to free FA and FA-SD in RAW 264.7 cells.

Conclusions:

• Anthocyanin-rich pigmented rice starch-based expandable films are effective gastroretentive systems for enhancing FA delivery.
• These novel films significantly improve FA's bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.
• The developed films hold promise for treating conditions requiring potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory interventions.