RESUMO
In this study, gellan polymer was conferred amphiphilic character by conjugating alkyl carbon chain (C16) to its backbone via etherification reaction. The amphiphilic copolymer self-assembled into water and formed spherical micellar structures with a mean diameter of 832 nm. Copolymer micellization caused a considerable rise in solubility of simvastatin in water. Later on, the micelle-incorporated drug and pure drug were loaded into aluminium gellan hydrogel beads and characterized. Scanning electron microscopy revealed spherical shape of the beads. The drug entrapment efficiency of the beads (917-927 µm) was found to be 90-94%. Higher dissolution efficiency and consequently, higher rate of drug dissolution was evident in phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.8) than in HCl solution (pH 1.2). The changes in drug release rate as a function of pH correlated with the swelling behaviour of beads. The release of drug was controlled by anomalous diffusion mechanism. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses suggested compatibility of drug in the beads. The gellan beads, loaded with micellar drug, reduced 83.45% LDL-cholesterol level in rabbit model following 18 h of oral administration. Thus, the gellan beads containing micellar drug showed their potential in controlling drug release rate and improving pharmacodynamic activity.