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The efficiency of drug entrapment8 for each batch was calculated in terms of percentage drug entrapment (PDE) using the formula in Equation 2.
The author says...
Theoretical drug loading was calculated on the assumption that all of the drug in the polymer solution used was entrapped
in the microcapsules and that none was lost during the preparation of the microcapsules.
Practical drug loading was determined by taking accurately weighed microcapsules equivalent to 100 mg of drug and crushed
using a glass pestle and mortar. Methanol was added in small quantities to the mortar and transferred to a 50mL volumetric
flask. The mortar was washed with methanol to remove all traces of drug and transferred to the flask. The volume was then
increased to 50 mL with the same solvent. The flasks were kept on a sonicator for 5 min. The solution was then filtered using
a Whatman filter paper and a suitable dilution was made. Absorbance was read at 281 nm against methanol as a blank. The PDEs
of DM1 to DM4 are reported in Table 1.
Micromeritic properties of prepared microcapsules
Table 1: Physical characteristics of DS microcapsules.
The micromeritic properties of the microcapsules9 were determined by the angle of repose (using the fixedbase funnel method), bulk density, tapped density and Carr's index.
Bulk and tapped densities were measured in 10 mL of a graduated glass cylinder. The sample contained in the cylinder was tapped
mechanically by a constantvelocity rotating cam. The results are shown in Table 1.
Particle size and morphology study of microcapsules
Figure 1
The average particle size and morphology of the drugloaded microcapsules10 (n=100) of batches DM1 to DM4 were assessed by using a digital optical microscope (Labomed CX RIII, Ambala, India) and SEM
microscopy, respectively. The microcapsules' morphology was characterized by their sphericity and clumping. The results are
reported in Table 1 and Figure 1.
Dr. Gayatri C.Patel is an Assistant professor at the Department of Pharmaceutics Maliba Pharmacy College
Gopal Vidyanagar, Bardoli-Mahuva road,
Dist. Surat- 394350, Gujarat, India.
E-mail: gayatripatel26@gmail.com
Tel. (02625) 255144,255882
Fax (02625) 255882
Articles by Gayatri C. Patel
Madhabhai M. Patel
Madhabhai M. Patel is a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics, Kalol Pharmacy College, Kalol, Gujarat, India.
Articles by Madhabhai M. Patel
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