Gellan Gum/Alginate Microparticles as Drug Delivery Vehicles: DOE Production Optimization and Drug Delivery

Abstract

Gellan gum is a biocompatible and easily accessible polysaccharide with excellent properties to produce microparticles as drug delivery systems. However, the production methods often fail in reproducibility, compromising the translational potential of such systems. In this work, the production of gellan gum-based microparticles was optimized using the coaxial air flow method, and an inexpensive and reproducible production method. A design of experiments was used to identify the main parameters that affect microparticle production and optimization, focusing on diameter and dispersibility. Airflow was the most significant factor for both parameters. Pump flow affected the diameter, while the gellan gum/alginate ratio affected dispersibility. Microparticles were revealed to be sensitive to pH with swelling, degradation, and encapsulation efficiency affected by pH. Using methylene blue as a model drug, higher encapsulation, and swelling indexes were obtained at pH 7.4, while a more pronounced release occurred at pH 6.5. Within PBs solutions, the microparticles endured up to two months. The microparticle release profiles were studied using well-known models, showing a Fickian-type release, but with no alteration by pH. The developed microparticles showed promising results as drug-delivery vehicles sensitive to pH.

Gellan Gum as a Unique Microbial Polysaccharide: Its Characteristics, Synthesis, and Current Application Trends

“…Furthermore, GG has been used in creating controlled-release dosage forms. A study conducted by Carrêlo et al [ 109 ] reported the development of GG-based microparticles for the sustained release of drugs. The microparticles demonstrated a controlled release profile that enabled extended drug release and enhanced therapeutic effectiveness.…”

Electrospun PVA Fibers for Drug Delivery: A Review

“…Gellan is another natural polymer that has been extensively utilized for the development of drug delivery systems [ 100 , 101 , 102 ]. However, similar to CS, gellan has electro-spinnability limitations mainly because of its limited solubility and highly viscous solution [ 103 ].…”

Injectable Thermoresponsive Microparticle/Hydrogel System with Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Drug Release and Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications

“…The introduction of magnetic nanoparticles to GG:Alg microparticles was performed by adsorption, where the microparticles were submerged in aqueous suspensions containing mNPs at different concentrations. The microparticles without mNPs had a diameter of 150-200 µm [23,27]. Within the mNP suspensions, the microparticles swelled, and the nanoparticles settled onto the particles' surface.…”

“…An aqueous solution of 2 w/w% GG:Alg (1:1 ratio) was used with an airflow of 5 L/min, a pump flow of 5 mL/h, and a nozzle-bath height of 15 cm. These parameters were established following previous work from our group [23,27]. Then, the GG:Alg microparticles were freeze-dried (Freeze Dryer-Zirbus VaCo 2 (Harz, Germany)).…”

“…We aimed to confer hyperthermic capabilities to this system by adsorbing SPIONs onto the microparticles' surface and then using them in the injectable DDS. Thus, in this study, we developed microparticles loaded with SPIONs and microparticles that were loaded with a model drug (methylene blue (MB) [27]) separately and then combined the two batches. The two batches were mixed in a 1:1 ratio.…”