Mucoadhesive microspheres prepared by interpolymer complexation and solvent diffusion method

Mucoadhesive microspheres were prepared to increase gastric residence time using an interpolymer complexation of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and a solvent diffusion method. The complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) as a result of hydrogen bonding was confirmed by the shift in the carbonyl absorption bands of poly(acrylic acid) using FT-IR. A mixture of ethanol/water was used as the internal phase, corn oil was used as the external phase of emulsion, and span 80 was used as the surfactant. Spherical microspheres were prepared and the inside of the microspheres was completely filled. The optimum solvent ratio of the internal phase (ethanol/water) was 8/2 and 7/3, and the particle size increased as the content of water was increased. The mean particle size increased with the increase in polymer concentration. The adhesive force of microspheres was equivalent to that of Carbopol. The release rate of acetaminophen from the complex microspheres was slower than the PVP microspheres at pH 2.0 and 6.8. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.