Floating Microsphere of Curcumin as Targeted Gastro-retentive Drug Delivery System

Abstract

Microspheres carrier system made from natural or synthetic polymers used in sustained release drug delivery system. The present study involves formulation and evaluation of floating microspheres of Curcumin for improving the drug bioavailability by prolongation gastric residence time. Curcumin, natural hypoglycemic agent is a lipophilic drug, absorbed poorly from the stomach, quickly eliminated and having short half-life so suitable to formulate floating drug delivery system for sustained release. Floating microspheres of curcumin were formulated by solvent evaporation technique using ethanol and dichloromethane (1:1) as organic solvent and incorporating various synthetic polymers as coating polymer, sustain release polymers and floating agent. The final formulation were evaluated various parameters such as compatibility studies, micrometric properties, In-vitro drug release and % buoyancy. FTIR studies showed that there were no interaction between drug and excipients. The surface morphology studies by SEM confirmed their spherical and smooth surface. The mean particles size were found to be 416-618µm, practical yield of microspheres was in the range of 60.21±0.052% - 80.87±0.043%, drug entrapment efficiency 47.4±0.065% - 77.9±0.036% and % buoyancy 62,24±0.161% - 88.63±0.413%. Result show that entraptmency increased as polymer (Eudragit RS100) conc. Increased. The drug release after 12 hrs. was 72.13% - 87.13% and it decrease as a polymer (HPMC, EC) concentration was decrease.