Design and Characterization of Gastroretentive Floating Microspheres of Lercanidipine

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K Nikitha, Dr B. Deepika

By the use of solvent evaporation process and ionic gelation technique, an attempt has been made to produce GRDDS by using Ethyl cellulose and Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as release retarded materials in this work. Three different concentrations of polymer were used to produce microspheres, as well as blends of both polymers. Infrared Spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, X-ray Diffractometry analysis were used to investigate the drug-polymer compatibility. The polymer and drug were compatible with each other. The microspheres’ drug content, percentage yield, particle size analysis, surface morphology, and percent buoyancy were all investigated. The efficiency of entrapment improved as the concentration of ethyl cellulose was enhanced. The effect of polymer concentration on Lercanidipine release from microspheres in vitro was also investigated. The rate of drug release from the microspheres is drastically reduced when the polymer concentration is increased. It is observed that the microspheres containing both the polymer i.e., Ethyl cellulose and Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose showed the best results.

Lercanidipine, Solvent evaporation, Ionic gelation, Floating microspheres, GRDDS