Spray dried solid dispersions of piroxicam in carboxymethyl sago cellulose using aqueous solvents: A simple, novel and green approach to produce enteric microparticles with enhanced dissolution

Abstract

Piroxicam-CMSC solid dispersions were produced by spray drying from aqueous solvents. Depending on the drug-polymer ratio, loading and entrapment efficiency of CMSC microparticles were 6.8–46.75 and 40.79–60.35% w/w, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed non-spherical geometry and agglomeration of the spray-dried particles. The average size of the particles ranged from 7 to 170 µm. Infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction confirmed intact crystalline piroxicam in the microparticles. In gastric pH, microparticles and native piroxicam have shown less than 25% and more than 45% of drug dissolution, respectively in 2 h. In contrast, at pH 7.4, microparticles have shown 80% of drug dissolution; whereas native piroxicam achieved only 30% of dissolution by 30 min. The spray-dried CMSC particles are efficient in restricting drug release in gastric pH and enhance drug dissolution in intestinal pH. The method is eco-friendly as it uses aqueous solvents and non-toxic materials.

Keywords:

• Carboxymethyl sago cellulose
• sago biomass
• piroxicam
• spray drying
• dissolution enhancement

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) [FRGS/2/2013/SG06/MUSM/02/1].