Acta Pharm. 48 (1998) 111-118

Original scientific paper  
 

The release properties of microcapsules prepared with polymerized latex of Landolphia dulcis

E. C. IBEZIM, C. O. ESIMONE,   and   M. U. ADIKWU* 

Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria 
Received August 12, 1996      Accepted March 31, 1998

Polymerized latex of Landolphia dulcis was used as wall material for microencapsulation of sodium salicylate by non-solvent method of coacervation. Sodium salicylate granules prepared with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) as binder were used as control. Results of the drug release profile from microcapsules in both distilled water and 0.1 mol L-1 HCl showed a prolonged-release of the drug if compared to that of the unencapsulated drug. The results have also shown that the drug release rate in both dissolution media decrease as the latex : drug (wall : core) ratio increased. The t50 determination showed the drug release to be slightly faster in distilled water than in 0.1 mol L-1 HCl. The drug release obeyed both the Higuchi matrix model and the first order model but was found to be determined principally by the former mechanism following the application of the differential rate treatment.


Keywords: microcapsules, polymerized latex, Landolphia dulcis

back