Formulation and Characterization of Mucoadhesive Microcapsules of Gliclazide by Ionic Gelation Technique

B. Lakshmi Aasritha*¹, Bharghava Bhushan Rao P^2
1VJ’S College of Pharmacy, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India
²V.V. Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gudlavalleru, A.P, India.

A B S T R A C T
The  objective  of  the  present  research  was  to  develop the controlled release mucoadhesive microcapsules  of Gliclazide using various natural and synthetic mucoadhesive polymers such as Guar gum, Xanthum gum , Sodium CMC and Carbopol by Ionic gelation technique. Gliclazide and   polymer   compatibility  studies  were    performed    using  Fourier  transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)  and  Differential  scanning  calorimetry  (DSC). The microcapsules were prepared by Ionic gelation method. The prepared microcapsules were evaluated for Product yield, Drug loading and drug entrapment efficiency, particle size, Morphological study using SEM, Micrometric Studies and Mucoadhesion Testing by In Vitro wash-off Test. The effect of concentration and type of polymers, on in – vitro drug release and release kinetics was studied extensively. FT-IR and DSC studies revealed no interaction between Gliclazide and polymers. Product yield of the prepared beads was in the range of 68.2 – 89.1%. Drug entrapment efficiency of Gliclazide microcapsules ranged from 63.31-83.4%. Mean particle size of the prepared beads was in the size range of 321-622µm and suitable for bioadhesive microcapsules for oral administration. The results obtained confirm that the flow properties of microcapsule of all the formulations except F6, F9, F12 and F15 exhibited good flow properties. The formulations F6, F9, F12 and F15 were found to be poor because of their irregular shape. The in vitro mucoadhesive study demonstrated that microcapsules of Gliclazide with polymer Carbopol adhered to the mucus to a greater extent. In -vitro drug release studies exhibited that the drug release was not sustained up to 12 h for Gliclazide microcapsules prepared with Guar gum and Sodium CMC but the In-vitro drug release studies exhibited that the drug release was sustained up to 12h for Gliclazide microcapsules prepared with Xanthum gum and Carbopol but Carbopol showed better sustained action with high entrapment efficiency, good percent drug release and high mucoadhesion when compared with Xanthum gum.
Key words: Guar gum, Xanthum gum, Sodium Alginate, Carbopol, Sodium CMC, In-vitro drug release.