Application of Plackett-Burman Design and Box-Behnken Design to Achieve Process Optimization for Geniposide Submicron Emulsion

Abstract

The objective of this study was to prepare and characterize geniposide submicron emulsion (GP-SME) loaded the geniposide phytosomes (GP-PS) geniposide and optimize the process variables. The physicochemical properties of GP-PS obtained were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry. A screening experiment with Plackett-Burman design and response surface methodology with Box-Behnken design was used to optimize the process parameters of GP-SME. The optimum process conditions were finally obtained by using a desirability function. The differential scanning calorimetry studies of GP-PS demonstrated that GP and phospholipids in the GP-PS were combined by noncovalent bond, not forming a new compound. A Plackett-Burman design was initially employed and it was found that stirring velocity, homogenization pressure and homogenization cycles were the most important variables that affected the particles size, polydispersity index, and entrapment efficiency of GP-SME. Results showed that the optimum stirring velocity, homogenization pressure, and cycles were 16000 rpm, 50 Mpa, and 10 cycles, respectively. The mean diameter, polydispersity index, and entrapment efficiency of GP-SME were 258.2 nm, 0.243, 72.56%, respectively.

Keywords:

• Box-Behnken design
• geniposide submicron emulsion loaded geniposide phytosomes
• Plackett-Burman design
• process optimization

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the generous funding provided by Jiangxi Nature Science Fund (No. 2007GQY0954) for this project.

Notes

^a Represents a dummy variable; −1 and +1 represent the low and high levels, respectively.

^a Represents a dummy variable.

^a —indicates the term was omitted in reduced model.

*Bias was calculated according to equation: Bias/% = (predicted value-observed value)/predicted value × 100%.