Chitosan–sodium alginate blended polyelectrolyte complexes as potential multiparticulate carrier system: colon-targeted delivery and gamma scintigraphic imaging

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study is to develop stable, biodegradable chitosan–sodium alginate-based dual, ionic cross-linked multiparticulate system (microbeads) of tinidazole for targeted colon delivery and sustained drug release for the treatment of amoebiasis and thereby evaluating its targeting approach through in vivo gamma scintigraphic imaging technique.

Methods: The chitosan–sodium alginate-based multiparticulate system developed was producing sustained effect by virtue of its mechanical strength using double ionotropic gelation method utilizing calcium chloride and sodium sulfate as first and second cross-linkers respectively. Prepared formulations were evaluated for percent yield, drug entrapment efficiency, particle size, degree of swelling, in vitro kinetics, and in vivo targeting potentials using gamma scintigraphic imaging technique.

Results: The obtained particulates were spherical, free flowing, and had a mean particle size ranging from 1.422 mm to 1.881 mm, whereas percent yield and percent drug entrapment efficiency was found to be in between 72.61 to 82.43% and 63.25 to 79.32% respectively.

Conclusion: The prepared multiparticulate system showed better sustained release property and in vivo ability to target colon for drug delivery. Hence, the developed multiparticulate system could be a promising device to achieve greater site-specificity to colon.

Keywords::

• biodegradability
• chitosan
• dual ionic gelation method
• in vivo targeting
• multiparticulate system
• sodium alginate
• tinidazole

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to M Mathur, Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal, India for providing Gamma scintigraphy facility during in vivo study.