Recent opportunities and application of gellan gum based drug delivery system for intranasal route.

OBJECTIVES: In the recent years, in-situ hydrogel based on gellan gum has been investigated for delivery of various drug molecules particularly to treat neurological disorders via intranasal route. The major objective of the present manuscript is to review the recent research studies exploring gellan gum as ionic triggered in-situ gel for intranasal administration to enhance absorption of drugs and to increase their therapeutic efficacy. METHODS: This review include literature from 1982 to 2023 and were collected from various scientific electronic databases like Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar to review source, chemistry, ionotropic gelation mechanism, and recent research studies for gellan gum based in-situ hydrogel for intransasl administration.Keywords such as gellan gum, in-situ hydrogel, intranasal administration and brain targeting were used to search literature. The present review included the research studies which explored gellan gum based in-situ gel for intranasal drug delivery. RESULTS: The findings have shown enhanced biavailability of various drugs upon intranasal administration using gellan-gum based in-situ hydrogel.Moreover, the review indicated that intranasal administration of in-situ hydrogel facilitate to overcome blood brain barrier effectively. Hence, significantly higher drug concentration was found to be achieved in brain tissues upon intranasal administration than that of other routes like oral and intravenous. CONCLUSION: The present work conducted a comprehensive review for gellan gum based in-situ hydrogel particularly for intransal administration to overcome BBB. The study concluded that gellan gum based in-situ hydrogel could be potential promising delivery system for intranasal administration to improve bioavailability and efficacy of drugs specifically to treat neurological disorders.

Impact of diverse mineral hardness in electrodialysis water on the ionotropic gelation mechanism of low methoxyl pectin.

In this study, the effect of desalinated lava seawater via electrodialysis (ED water) on the formation and properties of low methoxyl pectin (LMP) gels was investigated. Additionally, the syneresis, microstructure, gelation mechanism, and thermostability of the gel samples were analyzed. When the ED water content exceeded 25 %, pectin gels with viscosities and textures that differed from those of the sol were formed. The highest gel hardness (9.38 N) was observed when 50 % ED water was mixed with LMP. However, when 75 % ED water was added, the pore size of the LMP gel became the largest, and excess water was released from the gel, resulting in a weak gel strength (4.98 N). The formation and properties of the gel structure were found to be mainly due to the ionic bonds between the minerals in the ED water and the free carboxyl groups of pectin, and it was confirmed that the hydrogen bonds within the pectin chains also had an effect. These results suggest that the interaction between the ED water and LMP can be widely used in various industrial fields, including low-sugar gels or viscosity-enhancing agents with diverse rheological properties.

Development of cashew-alginate microbeads and powdered dose forms: prospects for oral vaccine delivery in chickens.

Conventional oral vaccine delivery in poultry is challenging due to vaccine degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) environment and the need for cold-chain storage. Microencapsulation offers a solution by protecting vaccines from GI degradation and improving stability. Natural polymers like alginate and cashew gum have mucoadhesive properties, making them promising candidates for oral vaccine delivery. This study developed cashew-alginate microbeads and a powdered dose form for oral vaccine delivery in chickens. The microbeads were created using ionotropic gelation, while the powdered form was obtained via freeze-drying. These formulations were characterized for size, shape, and stability using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). Peak adhesion time (PAT) was determined using chicken intestinal and esophageal tissues, and antigenicity was assessed with in-vitro hemagglutination (HA) and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays. The microbeads exhibited a spherical shape with a porous structure, suggesting enhanced antigen accommodation. Hemagglutination Inhibition tests indicated that the experimental vaccine remained effective without cold-chain storage for three months. These findings suggest that cashew-alginate microbeads are promising for oral vaccine delivery in poultry.

Bromelain Immobilized onto Clay-Carboxymethylcellulose Composites for Improving Nutritive Value of Soybean Meal.

Improvement of nutritional value and reduction of antinutritional factors (ANFs) of soybean meal (SBM) for animal feed applications could be achieved by using bromelain immobilized onto bentonite (Bt)-carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) composites. The composite with mass ratio between CMC to calcium ion (Ca2+) at 1:20 provided the highest enzyme activity, immobilization yield higher than 95%, with superior thermal and storage stabilities. Performance of the immobilized bromelain for soybean protein hydrolysis was further studied. The results showed that at 60 °C, the immobilized bromelain exhibited the highest efficiency in enzymatic hydrolysis to release free alpha amino nitrogen (FAN) as a product with high selectivity and to effectively reduce SBM allergenic proteins within 30 min. In conclusion, immobilization of bromelain onto Bt-CMC composites leads to stability enhancement of the enzyme, enabling effective improvement in SBM quality in a short treatment time and showing great potential for application in animal feed industries.

Conception of pH-sensitive calcium alginate/poly vinyl alcohol hydrogel beads for controlled oral curcumin delivery systems. Antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has gained widespread attention for its potential therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, its poor aqueous solubility, instability and limited bioavailability have hindered its clinical applications. New beads formulations based on sodium alginate biopolymer (SA) and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) were successfully prepared and evaluated as a potential drug vehicle for extended release of curcumin (Cur). Pristine and curcumin loaded calcium alginate/poly vinyl alcohol beads (CA/PVA and CA/PVA/Cur) at different compositions of SA and PVA were prepared by an ionotropic gelation method of SA followed by two freeze-thawing (FT) cycles for further crosslinking of PVA. Characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to confirm the successful microencapsulation of curcumin within the CA/PVA microcapsules. Furthermore, the swelling of pristine beads, pH-sensitive properties and in vitro release studies of curcumin loaded beads were investigated at 37 °C in simulated gastric fluid (SGF), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and simulated colonic fluid (SCF). The effect of the polymer blend ratio, the encapsulation efficiency (EE %) of curcumin, the loading capacity (LC µg/mg), the sphericity factor (SF), the antioxidant activity of the elaborated beads and their antimicrobial properties against bacteria and fungi were just as much evaluated. The obtained results indicate that the swelling and the behavior of the developed beads were influenced by the pH of the test medium and the PVA content. The introduction of PVA into the SA matrix greatly enhanced the physicochemical properties, the encapsulation efficiency and the loading capacity of the elaborated microparticles. Results also suggested that the antioxidant activity of the loaded beads (CA/PVA/Cur) showed a higher DPPH radical scavenging activity while the bacterial and fungal strains proved sensitive to the different formulations used in the assay. Moreover, the important drug encapsulation efficiency and the sustainable drug release of these materials make them promising for the development of new drug carrier systems for colon targeting.

Development of Anthocyanin-Rich Gel Beads from Colored Rice for Encapsulation and In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion.

Colored rice anthocyanins are water-soluble natural pigments that can be used as an active ingredient in healthy food and pharmaceutical products. However, anthocyanin utilization is limited because of its instability. This work produced anthocyanin-rich gel beads from colored rice using a modified ionotropic gelation technique for encapsulation, and their efficacy was studied in vitro in the gastrointestinal tract. In total, 15 colored rice samples of three types (whole grain rice, ground rice, and ground germinated rice) were screened to identify the highest anthocyanin content. The anthocyanin content of the whole grain rice was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than it was in the ground and ground germinated rice. The sample with the highest anthocyanin content (1062.7 µg/g) was the black glutinous rice grain from Phrae, chosen based on its anthocyanin-rich crude extract. A new formula using a modified ionotropic gelation technique was prepared for the inclusion of the extract in gel beads. The results indicated that the incorporation of oil and wax significantly increased the encapsulation efficiency of the gel beads (% EE value of 85.43%) and improved the bioavailability of the active ingredient. Moreover, after simulated digestion, the release of anthocyanin and total phenolic content occurred more than five times. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the surface of the gel beads was smooth. Furthermore, the presence of polyphenols and polysaccharides in the gel beads was confirmed using FTIR. The oil-wax-incorporated, anthocyanin-rich gel beads could be implemented for antioxidant delivery into the gastrointestinal tract to further improve healthy food and nutraceutical products.

Immobilization of α-amylase in calcium alginate-gum odina (CA-GO) beads: An easily recoverable and reusable support.

A natural polysacharide, gum odina was collected from Odina wodier tree and purified. Purified gum odina was used with sodium alginate for immobilization of α-amylase. Calcium alginate-gum odina (CA-GO) beads were prepared by ionotropic gelation method to find the improvement of immobilization efficiency and reusability of α-amylase over calcium alginate (CA) beads. XRD, SEM, FTIR, beads diameter, enzyme leaching from beads, moisture content, total soluble matter and swelling study have been carried out to understand the physical morphology and mechanism of immobilization of enzyme in beads matrix. It has been observed that if the polymer ratio changes (keeping enzyme conc. & calcium Chloride conc. constant) then the size and shape of the beads will vary and at a particular range of polymer ratio, the optimal beads forms. At a certain conc.(4%w/v of SA and 1%w/v GO), the immobilization efficiency of CA-GO and CA beads were 92.71 ± 0.85 % (w/w) and 89.19 ± 0.35 %(w/w) respectively. After 8th time use, the CA-GO beads remain (~4 fold) more active than that of CA beads. The FTIR confirms that GO does not interfere with α-Amylase and alginate. Here, it can be concluded that CA-GO beads show better efficiency in respect to immobilization, reusability than CA beads only.

New approaches for modulation of alginate-chitosan delivery properties.

Alginate is a biopolymer widely used on delivery systems when bioactive protection at acidic pH is required, while chitosan can enhance mucoadhesion and controlled release at alkaline pHs. In this work, alginate ionotropic gelation and electrostatic complexation to chitosan were evaluated concomitantly or in a two-step approach to improve the delivery properties of systems in different pHs. The effect of pH on alginate gelation and chitosan interactions were also evaluated. Alginate microspheres were prepared by ionotropic gelation in CaCl2 at different pH values (2.5 and 6.0) by extrusion. Complexation with chitosan was carried out during alginate ionotropic gelation (one-step approach) or after alginate gel formation (two-step approach). Alginate microparticles without chitosan showed larger pores and lower mechanical strength. Extruded microspheres at pH 6.0 were more stable to pH and showed smaller pores than the formed at pH 2.5. One-step production retained a large amount of bioactive at pH 7.0 and resulted in lower release at the pH of intestinal digestion. The two-step approach retained less amount of bioactive but confer more protection to the pH of the stomach phase and higher release in pH of the intestinal phase than one-step samples. These results indicate that the formation of alginate gels by ionotropic gelation followed by the complexation with chitosan (in two-step) is promising for the transport and delivery of bioactives into intestinal conditions, whereas the ionotropic gelation concomitantly to electrostatic complexation (one-step approach) is indicated to the delivery of bioactives into lower pH environments.

Probiotic Encapsulation: Bead Design Improves Bacterial Performance during In Vitro Digestion.

The stability and release properties of all bioactive capsules are strongly related to the composition of the wall material. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the wall materials during the encapsulation process by ionotropic gelation on the viability of Lactobacillus fermentum K73, a lactic acid bacterium that has hypocholesterolemia probiotic potential. A response surface methodology experimental design was performed to improve bacterial survival during the synthesis process and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions by tuning the wall material composition (gelatin 25% w/v, sweet whey 8% v/v, and sodium alginate 1.5% w/v). An optimal mixture formulation determined that the optimal mixture must contain a volume ratio of 0.39/0.61 v/v sweet whey and sodium alginate, respectively, without gelatin, with a final bacterial concentration of 9.20 log10 CFU/mL. The mean particle diameter was 1.6 ± 0.2 mm, and the experimental encapsulation yield was 95 ± 3%. The INFOGEST model was used to evaluate the survival of probiotic beads in gastrointestinal tract conditions. Upon exposure to in the vitro conditions of oral, gastric, and intestinal phases, the encapsulated cells of L. fermentum decreased only by 0.32, 0.48, and 1.53 log10 CFU/mL, respectively, by employing the optimized formulation, thereby improving the survival of probiotic bacteria during both the encapsulation process and under gastrointestinal conditions compared to free cells. Beads were characterized using SEM and ATR-FTIR techniques.

Evaluation of curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for wound healing activity.

Background and purpose: Wound healing is a biological process that can be difficult to manage clinically. In skin wound healing, the interaction of many cells, growth factors, and cytokines reveals an outstanding biological function mechanism. Wound healing that occurs naturally restores tissue integrity, however, it is usually restricted to wound repair. Curcumin synthesised in a chitosan matrix can be used to heal skin sores. Experimental approach: The ionotropic gelation procedure required crosslinking chitosan with a tripolyphosphate (TPP) crosslinker to generate curcumin nanoparticles encapsulated in chitosan. Key results: The nanoparticles were between 200 and 400 nm in size, with a strong positive surface charge and good entrapment efficacy, according to SEM and TEM investigations. Curcumin and chitosan compatibility was investigated using FTIR spectroscopy. All batches showed consistent drug release, with the F5 batch having the highest curcumin release, at 75% after 16 hours. On L929 cells, scratch assays were utilised to assess wound healing. Wound closure with widths of 59 and 65 mm with curcumin and 45 and 78 mm with curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles was seen after 24 and 48 hours of examination. Conclusions: According to the findings, prepared curcumin chitosan nanoparticles are beneficial in healing skin damage.

Grafting of sinapic acid onto glucosamine nanoparticle as a potential therapeutic drug with enhanced anti-inflammatory activities in osteoarthritis treatment.

Glucosamine (Glu) is a cartilage and joint fluid matrix precursor that modulates osteoarthritic joint changes. To improve the enzymatic stability, glucosamine was developed into nanoglucosamine by the ionic gelation method through sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as cross-linking agent. The optimized mass ratio of Glu:TPP was (3:1) with the particle size 163 ± 25 nm and surface charge -5 mV. Then Sinapic acid (SA) as a natural phenolic acid with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities has been grafted onto glucosamine nanoparticles (GluNPs) with grafting efficiency (73 ± 6 %). The covalent insertion of SA was confirmed by UV-Vis, FTIR, 1HNMR, XRD, and FESEM analyses and the other physicochemical properties were also characterized. SA-g-GluNPs showed spherical shape with a mean diameter of 255 ± 20 nm and zeta potential +16 mV. The in vitro release profile of SA-g-GluNPs exhibited the sustained and pH-dependent drug release property. SA-g-GluNPs had a more pronounced effect on reducing the elevated levels of LPS-induced oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines than free SA in the human chondrocyte C28/I2 cell line. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus were also improved by SA-g-GluNPs. This study demonstrated the potential of phenolic acid grafted GluNPs in therapeutic drug applications for chondroprotection and food industries.

Encapsulation of Pineapple Peel Extracts by Ionotropic Gelation Using Corn Starch, Weissella confusa Exopolysaccharide, and Sodium Alginate as Wall Materials.

Phenolic compounds that are present in pineapple by-products offer many health benefits to the consumer; however, they are unstable to many environmental factors. For this reason, encapsulation is ideal for preserving their beneficial effects. In this work, extracts were obtained by the combined method of solid-state fermentation with Rhizopus oryzae and ultrasound. After this process, the encapsulation process was performed by ionotropic gelation using corn starch, sodium alginate, and Weissella confusa exopolysaccharide as wall material. The encapsulates produced presented a moisture content between 7.10 and 10.45% (w.b), a solubility of 53.06 ± 0.54%, and a wettability of 31.46 ± 2.02 s. The total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity of DPPH, and ABTS of the encapsulates were also determined, finding 232.55 ± 2.07 mg GAE/g d.m for TPC, 45.64 ± 0.9 µm Trolox/mg GAE for DPPH, and 51.69 ± 1.08 µm Trolox/mg GAE for ABTS. Additionally, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis allowed us to identify and quantify six bioactive compounds: rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin. According to the above, using ionotropic gelation, it was possible to obtain microencapsulates containing bioactive compounds from pineapple peel extracts, which may have applications in the development of functional foods.

Scalable production of chitosan sub-micron particles by membrane ionotropic gelation process.

Ionotropic gelation (IG) is a highly attractive method for the synthesis of natural water-soluble polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) and sub-micron particles (sMP) due to its relatively simple procedure and the absence of organic solvents. The method involves the electrostatic interaction between two ionic species of opposite charge. Although it is well studied at the laboratory scale, the difficulty to achieve size control in conventional bench-top process is actually a critical aspect of the technology. The aim of this work is to study the membrane dispersion technology in combination with IG as a suitable scalable method for the production of chitosan sub-micron particles (CS-sMPs). The two phases, one containing chitosan (CS) and the other containing sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), were put in contact using a tubular hydrophobic glass membrane with a pore diameter of 1 µm. TPP (dispersed phase) was permeated through the membrane pores into the lumen side along which the CS solution (the continuous phase) flowed in batch recirculation or continuous single-pass operation mode. The influence of chemical variables (i.e. pH, concentration and mass ratio of polyelectrolyte species, emulsifier) and fluid-dynamic parameters (i.e. polyelectrolyte solution flow rate and their relative mass ratio) was studied to precisely tune the size of CS-Ps.

Novel Hydrogel Membranes Based on the Bacterial Polysaccharide FucoPol: Design, Characterization and Biological Properties.

FucoPol, a fucose-rich polyanionic polysaccharide, was used for the first time for the preparation of hydrogel membranes (HMs) using Fe3+ as a crosslinking agent. This study evaluated the impact of Fe3+ and FucoPol concentrations on the HMs' strength. The results show that, above 1.5 g/L, Fe3+ concentration had a limited influence on the HMs' strength, and varying the FucoPol concentration had a more significant effect. Three different FucoPol concentrations (1.0, 1.75 and 2.5 wt.%) were combined with Fe3+ (1.5 g/L), resulting in HMs with a water content above 97 wt.% and an Fe3+ content up to 0.16 wt.%. HMs with lower FucoPol content exhibited a denser porous microstructure as the polymer concentration increased. Moreover, the low polymer content HM presented the highest swelling ratio (22.3 ± 1.8 g/g) and a lower hardness value (32.4 ± 5.8 kPa). However, improved mechanical properties (221.9 ± 10.2 kPa) along with a decrease in the swelling ratio (11.9 ± 1.6 g/g) were obtained for HMs with a higher polymer content. Furthermore, all HMs were non-cytotoxic and revealed anti-inflammatory activity. The incorporation of FucoPol as a structuring agent and bioactive ingredient in the development of HMs opens up new possibilities for its use in tissue engineering, drug delivery and wound care management.

Self-assembled chitosan-insulin oral nanoparticles - A critical perspective review.

Chitosan is an abundant natural cationic polysaccharide with excellent biodegradability, bioadhesion, and biocompatibility. Chitosan is extensively researched for various particulate oral insulin drug delivery systems. Oral insulin is economically efficient and more convenient than injections, with greater patient compliance. Electrostatic ionic interaction between cationic chitosan and anionic polymer or insulin leads to the formation of spontaneously self-assembled nanoparticles. This simple technique attracted many researchers as it can be carried out quickly in mild conditions without harmful solvents, such as surfactants or chemical cross-linkers that might degrade the insulin structure. The formulated chitosan nanoparticles help to protect the core insulin from enzymatic degradation in the digestive system and improve paracellular intestinal uptake from the enterocytes due to mucoadhesion and reversible tight junction opening. Moreover, functionalized chitosan nanoparticles create newer avenues for targeted and prolonged delivery. This review focuses on modified chitosan-insulin nanoparticles and their implications on oral insulin delivery. Dependent variables and their optimal concentration ranges used in self-assembly techniques for chitosan-insulin nanoparticular synthesis are summarized. This review provides a comprehensive guide to fine-tune the essential factors to formulate stable insulin-chitosan nanoparticles using mild ionic interactions.

Progress and opportunities in Gellan gum-based materials: A review of preparation, characterization and emerging applications.

Gellan gum, a microbial exopolysaccharide, is biodegradable and has potential to fill several key roles in many fields from food to pharmacy, biomedicine and tissue engineering. In order to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of gellan gum, some researchers take advantage of numerous hydroxyl groups and the free carboxyl present in each repeating unit. As a result, design and development of gellan-based materials have advanced significantly. The goal of this review is to provide a summary of the most recent, high-quality research trends that have used gellan gum as a polymeric component in the design of numerous cutting-edge materials with applications in various fields.

Effect of Hogweed Pectin on Rheological, Mechanical, and Sensory Properties of Apple Pectin Hydrogel.

This study aims to develop hydrogels from apple pectin (AP) and hogweed pectin (HP) in multiple ratios (4:0; 3:1; 2:2; 1:3; and 0:4) using ionotropic gelling with calcium gluconate. Rheological and textural analyses, electromyography, a sensory analysis, and the digestibility of the hydrogels were determined. Increasing the HP content in the mixed hydrogel increased its strength. The Young's modulus and tangent after flow point values were higher for mixed hydrogels than for pure AP and HP hydrogels, suggesting a synergistic effect. The HP hydrogel increased the chewing duration, number of chews, and masticatory muscle activity. Pectin hydrogels received the same likeness scores and differed only in regard to perceived hardness and brittleness. The galacturonic acid was found predominantly in the incubation medium after the digestion of the pure AP hydrogel in simulated intestinal (SIF) and colonic (SCF) fluids. Galacturonic acid was slightly released from HP-containing hydrogels during chewing and treatment with simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and SIF, as well as in significant amounts during SCF treatment. Thus, new food hydrogels with new rheological, textural, and sensory properties can be obtained from a mixture of two low-methyl-esterified pectins (LMPs) with different structures.

Microencapsulation of a Pickering Oil/Water Emulsion Loaded with Vitamin D3.

The ionotropic gelation technique was chosen to produce vitamin D3-loaded microparticles starting from oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsion stabilized by flaxseed flour: the hydrophobic phase was a solution of vitamin D3 in a blend of vegetable oils (ω6:ω3, 4:1) composed of extra virgin olive oil (90%) and hemp oil (10%); the hydrophilic phase was a sodium alginate aqueous solution. The most adequate emulsion was selected carrying out a preliminary study on five placebo formulations which differed in the qualitative and quantitative polymeric composition (concentration and type of alginate selected). Vitamin D3-loaded microparticles in the dried state had a particle size of about 1 mm, 6% of residual water content and excellent flowability thanks to their rounded shape and smooth surface. The polymeric structure of microparticles demonstrated to preserve the vegetable oil blend from oxidation and the integrity of vitamin D3, confirming this product as an innovative ingredient for pharmaceutical and food/nutraceutical purposes.

Chitosan/Albumin Coating Factorial Optimization of Alginate/Dextran Sulfate Cores for Oral Delivery of Insulin.

The design of nanoparticle formulations composed of biopolymers, that govern the physicochemical properties of orally delivered insulin, relies on improving insulin stability and absorption through the intestinal mucosa while protecting it from harsh conditions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Chitosan/polyethylene glycol (PEG) and albumin coating of alginate/dextran sulfate hydrogel cores are presented as a multilayer complex protecting insulin within the nanoparticle. This study aims to optimize a nanoparticle formulation by assessing the relationship between design parameters and experimental data using response surface methodology through a 3-factor 3-level optimization Box-Behnken design. While the selected independent variables were the concentrations of PEG, chitosan and albumin, the dependent variables were particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and insulin release. Experimental results showed a nanoparticle size ranging from 313 to 585 nm, with PDI from 0.17 to 0.39 and zeta potential ranging from -29 to -44 mV. Insulin bioactivity was maintained in simulated GI media with over 45% cumulative release after 180 min in a simulated intestinal medium. Based on the experimental responses and according to the criteria of desirability on the experimental region's constraints, solutions of 0.03% PEG, 0.047% chitosan and 1.20% albumin provide an optimum nanoparticle formulation for insulin oral delivery.

Recent advances in microbeads-based drug delivery system for achieving controlled drug release.

Novel drug delivery system endows a beneficial method for achieving a desired drug concentration at the appropriate site in the body. The concept of targeted drug delivery has been emerged to localize the drug in the targeted tissue of interest while reducing the relative concentration of the medication in the surrounding tissues. This could be easily accomplished by using different multi-particulate dosage forms like pellets, granules, microcapsules, liposomes, beads. But the major drawbacks associated with them are the use of harsh chemicals and an elevated temperature for their preparation. Preparation of microbeads by ionotropic gelation and emulsion gelation method overcomes these problems by neither using harsh chemicals nor elevated temperature for their preparation. Thus, this can be proved to be a better alternative over other dosage forms. Several parameters were studied in terms of their morphology, particle size, encapsulation efficiency, swelling ratio, mucoadhesivity, etc. The endeavor of present article is toward presenting a wider perspective of the comprehensive knowledge available in the field of microbeads. Thus, the intent of this review is to recapitulate the relevance of microbeads.