microsphere

The aim of this study was to prepare Diclofenac potassium (DP) microspheres by using Double Emulsion-solvent evaporation method with ethyl cellulose (EC) and Eudragit polymers. An attempt was made to formulate a sustained release dosage form of diclofenac potassium, to minimize frequent dosing as well as reducing or eliminating local side effects by avoiding the drug release in the upper gastro-intestinal tract Poly vinyl alcohol containing 2% (w/w) span 80 was the external phase and polymer -drug solution was the internal phase. EC and Eudragit were used to encapsulate diclofenac potassium. By using different formulation variables, six different formulations (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, & F6) were prepared. The resulting microspheres obtained, were more spherical in shape and showed more entrapment efficiency. The size of the microspheres varied between 346-695 μm and as high as 96.24% loading efficiency for Eudragit and 82.34% for EC was obtained. In vitro release study was carried out in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid solution (pH 1.2) for first 2 hours followed by in phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.8) for next 4 hours. After first 2 hours of dissolution in 0.1 N hydrochloric acid, EC microspheres released 23% of drug and Eudragit released 7% of drug. The formulations were found to be effective in providing controlled release of drug for a longer period of time.

Asparagus racemosus and Centella asiatica are two very common and well known medicinal plant available in India. Both the plants are traditionally used as antiamoebic drugs. Not only are those, both the drugs used as the herbal treatment of several diseases of human beings. In between them some are really critical disease. Several important phytoconstituents have been already isolated and characterized from both the plants and in between them some are the major active marker for the treatment of above said critical diseases. Instead of all those characters, these two plants have very potent antioxidant property. Here, we have taken an attempt to prepare a formulation of the mixture (50:50) of the aqueous extracts of both the plants and compare the antioxidant property of that formulation and extracts. In this study calcium chloride cross linked alginate microsphere and chitosan coated microsphere have been prepared by using the above said plant extracts and the anti-oxidant property of those formulations were compared with the extracts and also standard drugs. The result therefore reflects that the antioxidant potency of the combined extract entrapped in formulations was almost equivalent to the original extract combinations. This entails despite of the different process control stresses in the manufacturing steps the potency of the polymer entrapped drug substances does not changed. So researchers may look forward in further purification of the extract and then an effective drug loading to get an equivalent potent action from the same quantity of a standard antioxidant.