Influence of polymeric system properties on the delivery of a phytoterapic anti-inflammatory agent

C. ANCHISI;M. C. MELONI;MACCIONI, ANNA MARIA

2009-01-01

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Abstract

In this study we realized spherical beads using two different polymeric dispersion, chitosan and alginate, to investigated their effect on the delivery Boswellin® (Sabinsa Corporation-USA), a standardized Boswellia serrata alcoholic extract as phytoterapic anti-inflammatory agent. The major obiective of the present in vitro study is to have some information about their stability in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this work is to formulate a drug delivery system for the oral administration of this phytoterapic agent. Alginate beads were prepared by ionotropic gelation in presence of CaCl2 and BaCl2 solutions; chitosan beads were prepared by using a TPP solution as an ionic cross-linking agent and acetone as a coacervating agent. The swelling degradation behaviour of the bead samples and drug release were investigated using four different medium solutions (i.e. 0.9% NaCl, PBS pH 7.4, HCl 0.1N pH 1, buffer pH 4.8). Followig treatment with 0.1 N HCl, the chitosan beads showed the fastest degradation with an immediate drug release while calcium and barium alginate beads showed a minimum swelling with a good stability and a very slow drug release. On the contrary after treatment with NaCl 0.9% and PBS chitosan beads showed a greater stability and controlled drug release. In this medium calcium and barium alginate beads appeared to swell through ion-exchange process between Na+ ions and Ca++ and Ba++ ions of the alginate units. Particularly barium alginate beads exhibited minimum swelling and greater stability in comparison with calcium alginate beads that swelled and subsequently dissolved. Obtained results showed that composition and molecular weight of the polymers as well as the nature of the crosslinking ions exert a great influence on the physical properties of the beads. Moreover, these systems could be useful for the Boswellin® delivery to the gastrointestinal tract.