Microspheres are important drug delivery systems having small size & efficient carrier properties. These microspheres possess short residence time at the site of action, hence coupling mucoadhesive properties to microspheres lead to a novel DDS i.e., “Mucoadhesive microspheres. Carvedilol loaded alginate microspheres were prepared by ionic gelation technique using calcium chloride as cross linking agent. The ionic gelation technique does not involve the necessity of organic solvents to solubilise the water insoluble polymer as in solvent evaporation /coascervation phase separation technique. The influence of curing time, concentration of calcium chloride used for curing were studied. The polymers used were sodium alginate, HPMC (50cps). The drug entrapment was found to be in the range of 58.82-71.35%.The micromeritic flow properties, moisture content, swelling index, drug content & entrapment efficiency were evaluated for prepared microspheres. The microspheres are spherical and free flowing. Carvedilol release from microspheres followed first order kinetics and was influenced by curing time & concentration of calcium chloride. The drug transport mechanism was fickian as the n value is less than 0.5.

Key words: Mucoadhesive microspheres, sodium alginate, HPMC, Carvedilol.

Author: http://www.pharmainfo.net/bhanunagendla
Guide: http://www.pharmainfo.net/tegkmurthy

Click to see next slide

[swf file="pppc05/bhanuNagendlabhanupp.swf"]