Increasing Alginate Concentration Research Articles

Plant-based delivery systems for controlled release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic active ingredients: Pea protein-alginate bigel beads

Oral delivery systems for nutrients and nutraceuticals are required for personalized nutrition applications. In some applications, these delivery systems need to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactive agents. In this study, bigel beads (2 mm) were prepared using pea protein (PP) and sodium alginate (SA) to form the hydrogel phase, and glyceryl monostearate and soybean oil to form the oleogel phase. The hydrogel phase was crosslinked by using Ca2+ ions to form electrostatic bridges between the alginate molecules. The bigel beads had an oil-in-water type structure consisting of an oleogel dispersed phase within a hydrogel continuous phase. These beads were used to encapsulate and control the release of model hydrophobic (curcumin) and hydrophilic (epigallocatechin gallate) nutraceuticals. The textural and microstructural characteristics of the bigel beads were evaluated by dynamic shear rheology, textural profile analysis, cryo-electron microscopy, and fluorescence confocal microscopy. As the concentration of SA increasing from 0.2 to 1.0%, the hardness of bigel beads increased from 306.75 g to 792.40 g. In vitro digestion experiments showed that most of the nutraceuticals were released in the small intestine, rather than the stomach. Nutraceutical release could be controlled by manipulating bead composition, with the extent of nutraceutical release decreasing with increasing alginate concentration. The bigel beads developed in this study could be used as easy-to-swallow carriers for the controlled release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactive ingredients. These kinds of products may be especially useful for people with dysphagia.

Increasing Viability of Bacillus subtilis BR610 through Inulin-Loaded Synbiotic Microcapsules

This study aims to determine the growth pattern of Bacillus subtilis BR610 isolated from the intestines of Rabbitfish on broth + inulin nutrient media, the diameter of beads, encapsulation rate, absorption efficiency, and probiotic viability in synbiotic microcapsules when exposed to simulated bile and high temperature. The study was designed with a completely randomized plan. The treatments tested were inulin and alginate concentration, viability in 10% bile, temperatures of 70oC and 90oC. An overview of granular synbiotic microcapsules is presented in the form of images, while the quantitative data obtained was processed using ANOVA with the help of the SPSS application. BR610 synbiotic microcapsule beads are round to oval in shape, transparent white in color, and the granules' elasticity increases with increasing alginate concentration. Statistical test results showed that 1% inulin significantly increased the population of B. subtilis BR610, a diameter of beads 0.9-3 mm, viability of probiotics in beads was 7.776 ± 0.06 log CFU/mL. The highest rate and efficiency of encapsulation and survival of probiotics on simulated were obtained from beads with 2% alginate and 1% inulin concentration. Synbiotic microcapsules can protect probiotics from environmental stress. This research serves as a scholarly resource on the utilization of probiotics in diverse domains, including fish feed production. It is well-established that the temperature within the feed molding apparatus can exceed 70oC during the fabrication of fish feed pellets. However, this is no longer a hindrance due to the implementation of alginate coating on probiotics.

Increasing Viability of Bacillus subtilis BR610 through Inulin-Loaded Synbiotic Microcapsules

This study aims to determine the growth pattern of Bacillus subtilis BR610 isolated from the intestines of Rabbitfish on broth + inulin nutrient media, the diameter of beads, encapsulation rate, absorption efficiency, and probiotic viability in synbiotic microcapsules when exposed to simulated bile and high temperature. The study was designed with a completely randomized plan. The treatments tested were inulin and alginate concentration, viability in 10% bile, temperatures of 70oC and 90oC. An overview of granular synbiotic microcapsules is presented in the form of images, while the quantitative data obtained was processed using ANOVA with the help of the SPSS application. BR610 synbiotic microcapsule beads are round to oval in shape, transparent white in color, and the granules' elasticity increases with increasing alginate concentration. Statistical test results showed that 1% inulin significantly increased the population of B. subtilis BR610, a diameter of beads 0.9-3 mm, viability of probiotics in beads was 7.776 ± 0.06 log CFU/mL. The highest rate and efficiency of encapsulation and survival of probiotics on simulated were obtained from beads with 2% alginate and 1% inulin concentration. Synbiotic microcapsules can protect probiotics from environmental stress. This research serves as a scholarly resource on the utilization of probiotics in diverse domains, including fish feed production. It is well-established that the temperature within the feed molding apparatus can exceed 70oC during the fabrication of fish feed pellets. However, this is no longer a hindrance due to the implementation of alginate coating on probiotics.

An eco-friendly hydroentangled cotton non-woven membrane with alginate hydrogel for water filtration

Alginate hydrogel is highly efficient for water filtration due to its anti-fouling nature and formation of strong hydration membranes. However, poor mechanical properties of alginate hydrogel membrane limit its installation in water treatment. There is a need to enhance mechanical properties of alginate hydrogel membranes using eco-friendly, cost-effective materials and technologies. In this work, hydroentangled non-woven from cotton waste (comber noil) fibers was prepared. This non-woven was immersed in solution of sodium alginate (0.5 %, 1 %, 1.5 %) followed by dipping in calcium chloride solution which resulted in gel formation on and into cotton fibers. The successful formation of gel on non-woven fabric was confirmed through FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and properties of this composite membrane were analyzed by SEM (Scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), DSC (Differential scanning calorimeter), water contact, water flux, oil-water filtration, air permeability, tensile strength, and porosity tests. The results showed that porosity of prepared hydrogel membranes decreased with increasing alginate concentration from 0.5 % to 1.5 % which resulted in decreased water permeation flux from 2655 h−1/m2 to 475 h−1/m2. The prepared membrane has separation efficiencies for the oil-water mixture in the range of 97.5 % to 99.5 %. Moreover, the developed samples also showed significant antibacterial activity as well as improved mechanical properties. The strength of the prepared membrane is in the range of 40 N to 80 N. The developed sodium alginate hydrogel-based non-woven membrane could have potential applications for commercial water filtration systems.

Survivability of probiotics in Pickering emulsion gels stabilized by salmon by-product protein / sodium alginate soluble complexes at neutral pH

Adequate amounts of live probiotics reaching the gut are necessary to maintain host health. However, the harsh environment during processing, the low pH of human gastric acid, and the high concentration of bile salts in the gut can significantly reduce survivability of probiotics. In this work, we propose a simple Pickering emulsion gels strategy to encapsulate Lactobacillus plantarum Lp90 into oil droplets filled in calcium alginate gels to improve its viability under pasteurization and gastrointestinal conditions. The emulsion gels were stabilized by the soluble complexes of salmon by-product protein (SP) and sodium alginate (ALG), and the aqueous phase was solidified by the addition of calcium. The interaction between SP and ALG and the effect of ALG concentration on emulsifying ability and emulsion stability were studied. The results from optical imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance, and rheological properties showed that the stability and viscosity of the emulsions gradually increased with the increased ALG concentration, while the droplet size of the emulsions and the content of free water in the system decreased significantly. Especially when the concentration of ALG was 1 %, the emulsion system was stable under the environment of high temperature and high ionic strength, and the water holding capacity was the highest. Through pasteurization and gastrointestinal digestion experiments, it was found that the survival rate of probiotics encapsulated in emulsion gels was significantly higher than that encapsulated in emulsions or hydrogels, which benefited from the dual action of oil droplets and calcium alginate gels network. These results provide a new strategy for the processing of probiotics and the high-value utilization of marine fish by-products.

Functional properties and bioaccessibility of alginate based phycocyanin-honey hydrogels

Food gels have become attractive due to their biocompatibility, environment-friendly characteristics, and wide array of medical and food applications. One of the main design principles of a functional food matrix is the encapsulation, protection, and controlled release of nutraceuticals. The present study utilized two products having great interest recently, phycocyanin and honey, which were embedded in a gel-type delivery system composed of different concentrations of alginate (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/100 mL) and gelatin (7 g/100 mL). The phycocyanin-honey gel balls (PHB) were characterized in terms of physical, rheological, textural, morphological, and sensory properties, as well as in vitro digestion, bio-accessibility, and total phenolic content release kinetics. The increasing alginate concentration significantly increased (p<0.05) total phenolic content. Also, increasing alginate ratios caused sheet-like inner layers observed in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. In vitro digestibility of phenolic content derived from both honey and phycocyanin was significantly improved (p<0.05) and protected from the mouth and gastric medium by hydrogel structures of alginate and gelatin. PHB showed high release (>≈85 %) and bio-accessibility (>≈84 %) of phenolic content in the intestinal medium. Consequently, alginate could be successfully used at 1.5 g/100 mL concentration with gelatin to enhance the functionality and bio-accessibility of functional ingredients without affecting sensory properties.

Macroscopic Pattern Formation of Alginate Gels in a Two-Dimensional System.

Macroscopic spatial patterns were formed in calcium alginate gels when a drop of a calcium nitrate solution was placed on the center of a sodium alginate solution on a petri dish. These patterns have been classified into two groups. One is multi-concentric rings consisting of alternating cloudy and transparent areas observed around the center of petri dishes. The other is streaks extending to the edge of the petri dish, which are formed to surround the concentric bands between the concentric bands and the petri dish edge. We have attempted to understand the origins of the pattern formations using the properties of phase separation and gelation. The distance between two adjacent concentric rings was roughly proportional to the distance from where the calcium nitrate solution was dropped. The proportional factor p increased exponentially for the inverse of the absolute temperature of the preparation. The p also depended on the concentration of alginate. The pattern characteristics in the concentric pattern agreed with those in the Liesegang pattern. The paths of radial streaks were disturbed at high temperatures. The length of these streaks shortened with increasing alginate concentration. The characteristics of the streaks were similar to those of crack patterns resulting from inhomogeneous shrinkage during drying.

A simple method for the simultaneous encapsulation of ciprofloxacin into PEGDA/alginate hydrogels using gamma irradiation

Herein, we present a simple simultaneous method for the fabrication of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate/alginate (PEGDA/ALG) hydrogels as three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for ciprofloxacin (CIP) encapsulation using gamma-irradiation at an irradiation dose of 15 kGy. The absorption capacity of the hydrogels studies demonstrated that the PEGDA/ALG hydrogels showed a small absorption capacity at an acidic pH (pH = 2) and a high absorption capacity at a basic pH (pH = 10). The morphology and functional groups of the PEGDA/ALG hydrogels were successfully determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), respectively. SEM images observed a decrease in the pore size of the hydrogels with increasing alginate concentration, indicating successful alginate incorporation. FT-IR spectra of the hydrogels indicated that the PEGDA and alginate were crosslinked. The antimicrobial experiment showed that all the PEGDA/ALG hydrogels possessed good antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). These results demonstrate the practicality and efficacy of gamma-irradiation as a one-step method for the simultaneous fabrication of PEGDA/ALG hydrogels and encapsulation of CIP without compromising the bioactivity of the encapsulated CIP.

Calcium Alginate Production through Forward Osmosis with Reverse Solute Diffusion and Mechanism Analysis

Calcium alginate (Ca-Alg) is a novel target product for recovering alginate from aerobic granular sludge. A novel Ca-Alg production method was proposed herein where Ca-Alg was formed in a sodium alginate (SA) feed solution (FS) and concentrated via forward osmosis (FO) with Ca2+ reverse osmosis using a draw solution of CaCl2. An abnormal reverse solute diffusion was observed, with the average reverse solute flux (RSF) decreasing with increasing CaCl2 concentrations, while the average RSF increased with increasing alginate concentrations. The RSF of Ca2+ in FS decreased continuously as the FO progressed, using 1.0 g/L SA as the FS, while it increased initially and later decreased using 2.0 and 3.0 g/L SA as the FS. These results were attributed to the Ca-Alg recovery production (CARP) formed on the FO membrane surface on the feed side, and the percentage of Ca2+ in CARP to total Ca2+ reverse osmosis reached 36.28%. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy also verified CARP existence and its Ca2+ content. The thin film composite FO membrane with a supporting polysulfone electrospinning nanofiber membrane layer showed high water flux and RSF of Ca2+, which was proposed as a novel FO membrane for Ca-Alg production via the FO process with Ca2+ reverse diffusion. Four mechanisms including molecular sieve role, electrification of colloids, osmotic pressure of ions in CARP, and FO membrane structure were proposed to control the Ca-Alg production. Thus, the results provide further insights into Ca-Alg production via FO along with Ca2+ reverse osmosis.

Chitosan coated alginate beads as probiotic delivery system for New Zealand black footed abalone (Haliotis iris)

AbstractThe potential benefits of probiotics for growth of black‐footed abalone (Haliotis iris) have been highlighted in previous studies. However, traditional methods of probiotic administration in aquaculture are inefficient due to environmental contamination and loss of bacterial viability. This study investigates a new delivery system for delivery of probiotics to H. iris. An extrusion technique coupled with ionotropic gelation was utilized to produce chitosan coated alginate beads (CCALG). Concentration of alginate, chitosan, and coating time were optimized to obtain beads with a desired morphology, stability, sinking time, and release profile. The results showed that increasing alginate concentration up to 1.5% w/w can improve the morphological characteristics of the beads while reducing the sinking time in seawater. Chitosan coating improved the stability of beads and reduced the release of the encapsulated probiotics in seawater. A higher probiotic load was found in the digestive tract of animals fed with CCALG beads ( compared to the control group (. High palatability and stability of CCALG beads in seawater combined with controlled release of viable probiotics show that encapsulation of probiotics in CCALG beads is an efficient method for delivery of probiotics in aquaculture.

Design of experiments approach to developing a robust ink for bioprinting

Despite advancements in tissue engineering, the methods used to generate three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models for rapid screening and characterization studies remain time and labor intensive. Bioprinting offers an opportunity to offset these limitations by providing a scalable, high-throughput method with precise control over biomaterial scaffold and cellular deposition. However, the process of formulating bioinks can be complex in terms of balancing the mechanical integrity of a bioscaffold and viability of cells. One key factor, especially in alginate-based bioinks, is the rate of bioscaffold dissolution. It must allow cells to replace the bioscaffold with extracellular matrix (ECM), yet remain durable during extended tissue culture. This study uses a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach to understand the dependencies of multiple variables involved in the formulation and processing of an alginate-based bioink. The focus of the DoE was to understand the effects of hydrogel composition on bioink durability while maintaining cell viability. Three ingredients were varied in all: alginate, nanocellulose, and fibrinogen. Their effects on the bioink were then measured with respect to extrudability, strength, and stiffness as determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The DoE demonstrated that mechanical integrity increased with increasing alginate concentration. In contrast, fibrinogen and nanofibril concentration had no statistically significant effect. The optimized ink containing fibroblasts was printable using multiple nozzle sizes while also supporting fibroblast cell viability. DMA characterization further showed that the composition of the cell culture medium did not modulate the degradation rate of the hydrogel. Ultimately, the study outlines a methodology for formulating a bioink that will result in robust bioscaffolds for in vitro model development.

Shape control and stability of multicore millimetre‐sized capsules using a combined monoaxial dispersion electrospraying–ionotropic gelation technique

AbstractMulticore millimetre‐sized fish oil‐loaded alginate capsules were developed using a combined monoaxial dispersion electrospraying–ionotropic gelation technique and their stability was explored. By adjusting the preparation parameters, the capsule shapes could be irregular, spherical with a short‐tail, spherical, fusiform, and fusiform with a long‐tail. The continuous phase of the millimetre‐sized capsules consisted of hydrophilic alginate calcium and water. Moreover, the water content increased from 17% to 69% with increased alginate concentration (2.5–30 mg mL−1). The capsules prepared with alginate concentration of 10 mg mL−1 or 20 mg mL−1 show a similar loading ratio (about 5–8%) of fish oil during storage. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction–gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (HS‐SPME‐GC‐MS) results confirmed the capsules masked the fishy odour of fish oil. Moreover, fish oil slowly migrated from the inside to the outside of the capsules. This work presented a simple method to prepare multicore millimetre‐sized capsules with controlled shapes and a basic understanding of the effect of encapsulation using alginate to mask the fish oil odour.

Formulation of Metformin-Loaded Alginate Microspheres by Ionotropic Gelation-Aerosolization Technique

Metformin hydrochloric acid (HCl)-loaded alginate microspheres prepared using aerosolization method were subsequently evaluated for their physico-chemical characteristics in terms of particle size, morphology, drug loading, entrapment efficiency, yield and in vitro release. A two factorial Design of Experiment (DoE) was used to study the influence of polymer alginate and cross-linker calcium chloride (CaCl2 ) concentrations on microparticle characteristics. The results indicated that all microspheres were spherical in shape, while their particle size was less than 5 µm, although this increased with the intensification of alginate and CaCl2 concentrations. Encapsulation efficiency, loading, and yield were all enhanced by increasing alginate concentration and, conversely, decreasing CaCl2 concentration. The highest encapsulation efficiency, loading, and yield were 40, 31, and 73%, respectively, produced by a formula containing 1.75% alginate and 3% CaCl2 . The drug release of Metformin-loaded microparticles in HCl pH 1.2 ranged from 22 to 28% during a two-hour period, while further drug release of PBS pH 7.4 increased from 67 to 95% over ten hours. The total amount of drug released during a 12-h period increased by reducing alginate concentration. Furthermore, a kinetic study of the dissolution data confirmed the prevalence of a diffusion-controlled mechanism or Higuchi pattern of drug release.

Preparation iiand characterization of mucoadhesive microcapsules of paclitaxel

The objective of the present work was to develop paclitaxel encapsulated mucoadhesive microcapsules with an aim to enhance its efficacy and control the drug release in cancer patients. Paclitaxel microcapsules with a coat consisting of sodium alginate and mucoadhesive polymer such as acacia, Carbomer 941, Povidone K-30, Macrogol (PEG 6000) were prepared by ionotropic gelation technique and were evaluated for morphological characters, drug content, loading efficiency, drug–polymer interactions, swelling ratio, mucoadhesive properties and in vitro drug release. The resulting microcapsules were discrete, spherical, and free-flowing with a particle size range of 534 to 822 µm. The microencapsulation efficiency was 45.09–99.83%. The microcapsules prepared with alginate along with macrogol (F4M) have exhibited good mucoadhesive property in the in vitro wash off test. The swelling ratio of microcapsules was enhanced with increased alginate concentration and the formulation (F4) showed highest swelling index of 2666. Paclitaxel release from these mucoadhesive microcapsules was slow and extended over a period of 6 h and further depends upon the concentration of the alginate. The percent drug release of alginate-acacia microcapsules (F4Ac) was higher than other formulations in the present study. In conclusion, alginate-acacia mucoadhesive microcapsules could be promising vehicle for oral controlled release of paclitaxel.

Determination of the mechanical properties of single calcium alginate microbeads loaded gallic acid

The mechanical properties of biocompatible microparticles including calcium alginate microbeads loaded gallic acid were determined by a micromanipulation technique using a Brookfield Texture Analyzers. Single calcium alginate microbeads of a regular size distribution with a mean diameter in the range of 700– 750 µm prepared by the ionotropic gelation technique were compressed to rupture with a constant speed of 0.5 mm.s−1. The corresponding force imposed on them was measured simultaneously by a force transducer. Results showed that the force imposed on these particles increased when they were compressed, but relaxed significantly when they were ruptured and the increasing alginate concentration led to the improvement of mechanical strength (microcapsules). The exploitation of the linear character of the stresses and deformation allowed us to calculate the creep function. Calculations show that the microbeads are subjected to delayed elasticity (or entropy elasticity) governed by the Kelvin-Voigt analog model. This model is then confronted with the experiment and allowed us to find the modulus of Young of the microbeads which is in agreement with our direct experimental measurements as well as the determination of the delay time and viscosity for a concentration of (3%, w/v).

Preparation of Liquid Oral Mucoadhesive Gastro-retentive System of Nimodipine.

Nimodipine is a calcium channel blocker frequently used in critical care settings. It is mainly absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, the development of gastroretentive formulation will be beneficial. The benefit would be maximized for critical care patients if the developed system was in liquid form to facilitate the administration through nasogastric tubing. Development of gastro-retentive liquid oral controlled release formulation of nimodipine through in situ gellation. Nimodipine dissolution was improved by solid dispersion (SD) using poloxamer 407. Sodium alginate solutions (1, 1.5 and 2%w/v) were loaded with the optimized SD microparticles. Carboxymethylcellulose was added to modulate the release and to augment mucoadhesion power. All in situ gelling alginate solutions were characterized regarding viscosity, gelling capacity and drug release. SD microparticles showed considerable improvement in nimodipine dissolution. All alginate systems were pourable. Increasing alginate concentration increased the gelling capacity and reduced drug release rate. The addition of carboxymethylcellulose produced greater control over drug release rate. X-ray radiography showed successful stomach-retention over 8 hours in rabbits, which correlates with the controlled release pattern of the developed systems. The study provides the formulator with a range of gastroretentive controlled release formulations of nimodipine while maintaining the convenience of administration through nasogastric tubing with the potential for enhanced bioavailability.

Plasma-Alginate Composite Material Provides Improved Mechanical Support for Stem Cell Growth and Delivery.

Blood plasma-based products have been recently utilized in different tissue engineering applications, ranging from soft tissue repair to bone regeneration. Plasma contains fibrinogen which can be converted to an insoluble fibrin-laden gel in the presence of activated thrombin. In tissue engineering, these plasma-based materials can serve either as a three-dimensional scaffold to deliver therapeutic cells in vivo or as a growth factor-rich supply for tissue regeneration. Unfortunately, plasma-based materials are often mechanically weak and easily deformed, thus limiting their usability in harsh clinical settings. Simpler methods to create sturdier plasma-based materials are therefore needed. To this end, we hypothesized that combining alginate with plasma can create a composite plasma material with improved mechanical properties. Incorporating alginate into plasma produced composite gels with increasing bulk stiffness, as measured by rheology. Specifically, the plasma-alginate composite (PAC) gels with an alginate concentration of 2.86 mg/mL were 10-fold stiffer than pure plasma gels (11 vs 112 Pa). Interestingly, gel lysis rates were unchanged despite increasing alginate concentration (lysis time approximately 50 min). Adipose-derived stem cells cultured in the stiffer PAC gels expressed stemness markers (THY1, ENG, NT5E) at levels comparable to those in the pure plasma gels. Similarly, proangiogenic factor secretion was also constant across all gel conditions. In sum, we envision this PAC gel system will extend the use of plasma gel-based therapies into more rigorous clinical applications.

Development of organic–inorganic oxidized bacterial cellulose nanobiocomposites: ternary complexes

Bacterial cellulose (BC) and oxidized BC (OBC) nanobiocomposites, incorporating alginate and zinc acetate (as Zn2+ precursor) with different concentrations, have been prepared. Periodate oxidation used to obtain OBC. According to the ATR-FTIR spectra, intermolecular interactions between the functional groups of BC and OBC, and carboxyl groups of alginate were confirmed. Characteristic diffraction peaks of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in nanobiocomposites containing zinc acetate confirmed the formation of ZnO nanoparticles. Water absorption was decreased with increasing alginate concentration due to the molecular chains accumulation and entanglement. Cross-linking of Zn2+ ions with alginate and BC or OBC led to decrease in water absorption and increase in tensile strength with increasing zinc acetate concentration up to 5% (w/v). The percentage of ZnO NPs in the BC-Alg3-ZnAc5 nanobiocomposites was the highest (36.2%), which was in accordance with the results obtained According to the FE-SEM micrographs, OBC revealed a more open structure with larger pores. An accumulated, chain-like, and strong structure was shown in combination of 3% alginate and 5% zinc acetate. BC-Alg0-ZnAc5 nanobiocomposites represented the highest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, nanobiocomposites were more sensitive against S. aureus than E. coli.

Fabrication and characterization of alginate microspheres

Abstract Sodium alginate is a natural hydrophilic polysaccharide and has been widely studied as drug delivery system because of its biocompatible properties. There are various methods for alginate microspheres preparation such as extrusion methods, spray-drying methods, etc. Among these techniques, the particle sizes of bead are in the millimeter range. The particle size is crucial for the drug delivery application, as particle size gets smaller, the drug is closer to the surface of the particle, which fastens the drug release. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to fabricate alginate microspheres (AMs) via the emulsification/gelation method and to tailor its particle size and size distribution. Moreover, it is simple in experimental setup. The AMs were synthesized by water in oil (w/o) emulsion method using sodium alginate, liquid paraffin, and calcium chloride as a cross-linking agent. The morphology and particle size of AMs were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The AMs were spherical in shape and the average particle sizes were less than 65.88 µm. The results showed that particle size of the microspheres increased with increased alginate concentration. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis shows that there was no additional peak in the transmittance spectrum of AMs. In conclusion, AMs were successfully prepared by an emulsification/gelation method by controlling the alginate concentration. The synthesized AMs showed a remarkable ability to be used for drug delivery system.

Preparation and Physical Characterization of Andrographolide-Chitosan-Alginate Microparticles prepared by Ionic Gelation-Freeze Drying

This study aimed to determine the effect of alginate concentration on physical characterization (morphology, physical state, and encapsulation efficiency) of andrographolide-chitosan-alginate microparticles prepared by ionic gelation- freeze drying method. Andrographolide-chitosan-alginate microparticles were produced with various amount of alginate by ionic gelation method using tripholyphospate (TPP) as crosslinker and maltodextrin as a lyoprotectant. The physical characteristics were evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FT-IR), Differential Thermal Analyzer (DTA), Powder X-ray diffractrometer (PXRD), drug content was evaluated using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that andrographolide crystallinity changed after encapsulated inside the microparticles supported by changes in IR spectra, and melting point. Furthermore, increased alginate concentration showed rougher surface morphology. The amount of alginate affected the characteristics of the andrographolide-chitosan-alginate microparticles by altering the crystallinity and lowering melting point. The highest encapsulation efficiency shown by microparticles with 0.5% alginate.