FORMULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND IN-VITRO RELEASE EFFECTS OF ETHYL CELLULOSE COATED PECTIN MICROSPHERES FOR COLON TARGETING

摘要

Objective: The objective of present investigation is to design a colon targeted microspheres of 5-flourouracil by using natural polysaccharide based carrier which is inexpensive and naturally occurring and also having hydrophilic and swelling properties. Methods: The pectin microspheres were prepared by ionotropic-external gelation technique and drug loaded pectin microspheres were coated with ethyl cellulose by co-acervation phase separation method. Results and Conclusion: The in-vitro drug release effects behavior of 5-flourouracil microspheres done in various pH conditions for pectin microspheres, ethyl cellulose coated pectin microspheres and ethyl cellulose coated pectin microspheres in presence of pectinase enzyme up to 12 hr. The prepared microspheres were characterized by entrapment efficiency, particle size, micromeritic properties, in-vitro release behavior, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) etc. It was observed that increasing the polymer concentration along with the cross-linking time given the better affect of microspheres characteristic and percentage release of drug.