In vitro ciprofloxacin release from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Biodegradable polymers like poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) are crucial for controlled drug release.
• Ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) is a widely used antibiotic requiring effective delivery systems.
• Developing efficient methods for encapsulating drugs into microspheres is essential for pharmaceutical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize biodegradable PLGA microspheres containing Ciprofloxacin using different manufacturing methods.
• To evaluate the impact of PLGA composition (75:25 and 50:50) and preparation techniques on encapsulation efficiency and drug release.
• To compare the performance of solvent-evaporation versus evaporation-extraction methods for CIPRO encapsulation.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres encapsulating Ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) via solvent-evaporation and evaporation-extraction techniques.
• Utilizing two different PLGA ratios: 75:25 and 50:50.
• Assessing encapsulation rates and in vitro drug release patterns.
• Monitoring microsphere degradation in an aqueous medium.

Main Results:

• Encapsulation rates and drug release profiles varied significantly across different formulations.
• The evaporation-extraction method demonstrated higher encapsulation efficiency for CIPRO compared to the solvent-evaporation method.
• Microspheres with a 50:50 PLGA composition exhibited faster drug release and showed signs of degradation in aqueous medium.

Conclusions:

• The evaporation-extraction technique is more effective for achieving higher Ciprofloxacin encapsulation in PLGA microspheres.
• PLGA composition significantly influences drug release kinetics, with 50:50 PLGA leading to faster release.
• Understanding these formulation-dependent parameters is key for optimizing biodegradable drug delivery systems.