Development of albumin-based nanoparticles for the delivery of abacavir.

The study was designed to prepare and evaluate albumin nanoparticles containing antiviral drug abacavir sulphate. Various batches of albumin nanoparticles containing abacavir sulphate were prepared by desolvation method. The abacavir loaded particles were characterized for their yield, percentage of drug loading, surface morphology, particle size, surface charge, pattern of in vitro drug release and release mechanism studies. Drug loading ranged from 1.2 to 5.9%w/w. The mean particle size and the surface charge were 418.2nm and -40.8mV respectively. The in vitro drug release varied between 38.73 and 51.36%w/w for 24h. The n value for Korsmeyer-Peppas was 0.425 indicating Fickian type drug release. The preliminary findings indicated that albumin nanoparticles of abacavir can be prepared by desolvation method with good yield, high drug loading and sustained release.

Sustained release enteric coated tablets of pantoprazole: formulation, in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

In this study, an attempt was made to deliver pantoprazole in a sustained manner using delayed release tablets. The tablets were prepared by the wet granulation method using HPMC, cassava starch and polyvinyl pyrrolidine as polymers, Avicel PH 102 (MCC) as filler and potato starch as binder. The prepared tablets were evaluated for hardness, mass variation, friability and drug content uniformity, and the results were found to comply with official standards. The prepared tablets were coated using an enteric coating polymer such as cellulose acetate phthalate, Eudragit L100 and drug coat L100 by the dip coating method. The in vitro release was studied using pH 1.2 acidic buffer and pH 6.8 phosphate buffer and the study revealed that the prepared tablets were able to sustain drug release into the intestine. The anti-ulcer activity was evaluated by a water immersion stress induced ulcer model. The enteric coated pantoprazole tablets significantly reduced ulcer formation.