Formulation study of cellulose acetate butyrate microspheres with different concentrations of Poloxamer 188

Abstract

Extended-release microspheres containing sodium diclofenac were prepared using the cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) to obtain the polymer matrix. Looking modulate the rate of drug release, the addition of Poloxamer 188 at different concentrations into formulations was tested in order to obtain CAB to Poloxamer ratio of 1:0, 9:1, 3:1 and 1:1. Excepting for the formulation containing CAB and Poloxamer 1:1, the other formulations resulted in formation of spherical particles of micrometer size range. When the mixture CAB:Poloxamer (1:1) was employed, the precipitation of a polymeric mass occorred, and this effect was related to the high concentration of the hydrophilic polymer in the preparation. When compared to the microspheres prepared only with CAB, the drug content and the encapsulation efficiency increased with the addition of Poloxamer 188 in the formulations. A similar effect was observed in the evaluation of the rate of drug release in pH 7.5 phosphate buffer. While the microspheres prepared with CAB led to release of 25% of the encapsulated drug after 12 hours of testing, the microspheres prepared with CAB: Poloxamer 9:1 and 3:1 resulted in release of 30% and 70% of the drug, respectively.