Influence of Ispaghula and Zein Coating on Ibuprofen-Loaded Alginate Beads Prepared by Vibration Technology: Physicochemical Characterization and Release Studies.

Jillian Lyn Heng,Jia Teng,Janarthanan Pushpamalar,Muniyandy Saravanan

doi:10.3390/scipharm86020024

Abstract

The purpose behind the work was to fabricate alginate beads with better drug loading and extended drug release. Ispaghula was used to enhance the drug loading while zein was employed to extend the drug release. Ibuprofen was employed as a model drug in this study. Ibuprofen-loaded alginate beads with and without ispaghula were prepared using vibration technology and coated with zein. The beads prepared with alginate alone were shown to have loading and entrapment efficiencies of 35% and 70% w/w, respectively. Addition of ispaghula in alginate showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the drug loading (42% w/w) and entrapment efficiency (84% w/w). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of ispaghula and zein coating in the alginate beads as well as the ibuprofen loading. Scanning electron microscopy revealed better spherical geometry in the beads with ispaghula. The surface morphology of the uncoated beads was rough due to crystalline and surface drug. The zein coating has produced a smoother surface and particle adhesion. Differential scanning calorimetry has shown a reduction in drug crystallinity. Alginate beads extended the drug release for 4 h and the presence of zein extended the release for 6 h.

Highlights

Sodium alginate has been extensively used in drug delivery because of its biocompatibility and gel-forming ability with divalent ions [1]
Many investigations were done in alginate beads to get optimum drug loading and release profiles
We have studied the impact of the addition of ispaghula on the physicochemical properties of alginate beads

Summary

Introduction

Sodium alginate has been extensively used in drug delivery because of its biocompatibility and gel-forming ability with divalent ions [1]. Beads containing drug can be readily prepared by dropping the mixture of drug and alginate into calcium chloride solution (CaCl2 ) [2]. Many investigations were done in alginate beads to get optimum drug loading and release profiles. The required releases were attained using alginate alone or with the mixture of other materials such as carboxymethyl cellulose [3], ispaghula [4], locust bean gum [5] and starch [6] in order to get desired physiochemical properties. One of the key disadvantages is the loss of drug during the crosslinking process with CaCl2 solution. The drug tends to come out from the alginate beads due to shrinkage of gel network [7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion