A novel multicompartimental system based on aminated poly(vinyl alcohol) microspheres/succinoylated pullulan microspheres for oral delivery of anionic drugs

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres were prepared by dispersion reticulation with glutaraldehyde and further aminated. These microspheres were firstly loaded with diclofenac (DF) and then entrapped in cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) microcapsules by an o/w solvent evaporation technique for intestinal delivery of drug. The encapsulated PVA microspheres due to their low swelling degree in intestinal fluids, do not have enough force to produce the disruption of CAB shelf, therefore different amounts of succinoylated pullulan microspheres (SP-Ms) (exchange capacity up to 5.2 meq/g) were co-encapsulated. The SP-Ms do not swell in acidic pH, but swell up to 20-times in intestinal fluids causing the rupture of CAB shell and facilitating the escape of loaded PVA microspheres. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.