egg albumin

The present study deals with the formulation and evaluation of egg albumin based delayed release microspheres of itraconazole, which is drug of choice for systemic fungal infections. The study was undertaken in order to achieve the best possible drug-polymer (egg albumin) ratio to get delayed drug release using natural biodegradable polymer. The preparation of microsphere was done by using heat denaturation technique. The prepared microspheres were evaluated on various parameters like the size, morphology, micromeritic properties, percent drug entrapment, in-vitro dissolution studies and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The in vitro dissolution studies were carried out for 10 hrs. at pH 6.8 which showed that the drug release for the batch EA4 (drug: polymer ratio – 1:4) was 87.02 ± 5.89 after 10 hrs. The hypothesis of this research work i.e delayed drug release using natural biodegradable polymer was well supported by results of its evaluation.

One of the most feasible approaches for achieving a prolonged and predictable drug delivery profiles in the GIT is to control the gastric residence time (GRT) using gastroretentive dosage forms. The aim of the present study is to prepare the floating microspheres of ketoprofen to sustain the drug release for longer time to overcome the short half life of the drug. The microspheres were prepared by emulsification-solvent evaporation technique using ethyl cellulose and heat denaturation technique using egg albumin as a natural polymer. The optimization of microspheres was carried out based on pentagonal design using response surface methodology. The floating microspheres were evaluated for micromeritic properties, particle size, percentage yield, in-vitro buoyancy, entrapment efficiency, drug polymer compatibility, scanning electron microscopy and in-vitro drug release studies. The prepared microspheres exhibited prolonged drug release (> 9 h) and remained buoyant for > 24 h. The mean particle size increased and the drug release rate decreased at higher polymer concentration. The optimized formulation of ethyl cellulose microspheres (KEC-OP) exhibited prolonged drug release of 88.31 % up to 10 h demonstrating zero order kinetics and Case II transport release mechanism where as optimized formulation of egg albumin (KEA-OP) showed drug release of 96.78 % up to 9 h demonstrating peppas kinetics and Case II transport release mechanism.

In spite of wide spread biological uses of Psidium guajava, there is a dearth of information on its hepatoprotective activity especially during inflammation. This work was therefore conducted to evaluate the effects of methanolic stem bark and leave extracts of the plant on acute-phase proteins during acute-phase response in rats. Forty albino Wistar rats (twenty in each group) were divided into two groups (stem bark and leave extracts). Inflammation was induced using egg albumin while treatment with the extracts commenced as soon as the inflammation was established and this lasted for 90 minutes. Initial, inflammation and recovery phase blood samples were obtained for analysis of acute-phase proteins (Albumin & C-reactive protein) using standard methods. Even though the stem bark extract showed more potent effects on both parameters in either dose-dependent and time-dependent fashions, both were perpetuating their anti-inflammatory potency through significant reduction on C-RP and increment on Albumin levels purporting a possible mechanism of action for anti-inflammatory activity of Psidium guajava. Results were considered significant at P≤0.05.