Characterization of furazolidone-chitosan based spray dried microparticles regarding their drug release and mucin adsorptive properties

The present study aimed to prepare mucoadhesive microparticles of furazolidone (antimicrobial agent) using chitosan as a mucin adsorptive polymer and spray drying technology. This study recognized the potential use of furazolidone to directly target stomach (for example against Helicobacter pylori in order to afford low resistant anti helicobacter agent as compared to commonly used antibiotics). Therefore, local mucoadhesive drug delivery systems in the stomach by using easily tailored approach of spray drying was used in this study. In order to get sufficient drug release for effective period of time at the pH conditions of stomach under the influence of H. pylori, the study was conducted at two different pH levels (1.3 and 4.5). The amount of glutaraldehyde (GTA) as a crosslinking agent was also studied to get appropriate particles size, and drug release. By increasing the amount of GTA, particles size and the release were decreased at pH 1.3 as well as at pH 4.5. The pH of the media also showed significant effect on the drug release, i.e. by decreasing the pH the release was increased. Similarly, crosslinking agent showed negative effect on mucin adsorption. However, by reducing the pH from 4.5 to 13 the mucin adsorption was also reduced; therefore mucoadhesion increases at pH 4.5 which is desirable for targeting H. pylori as normal stomach pH is expected to increase by the effect of H. pylori. Hence, the data of this research can be considered for future in vivo study. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.