Preparation and in vitro characterization of glibenclamide-loaded alginate hexyl-amide beads: a novel drug delivery system to improve the dissolution rate.

Objective: This investigation aimed to synthesize amphiphilic hexyl amidic derivative of alginate to be used in the preparation of glibenclamide-loaded release system of improved dissolution rate. Materials and methods: Hexyl amine was associated to the activated carboxylic acid moieties of alginate to synthesize alginate hexyl amide polymer (AHAP). This polymer in comparison to alginate was used in different concentrations for preparing beads containing glibenclamide by an ionic gelation using Ca++ as gelling ion. The prepared beads were characterized by DSC, FTIR and scanning electron microscope. The swelling behavior, drug loading capacity and release behavior were studied. Results and discussion: The results showed that the prepared AHAP beads were smaller in size and more spherical. The surface was highly corrugated with much and wider pore size. The beads showed a high drug loading capacity and efficacy that was affected by the polymer concentration. The drug release rate from AHAP beads reached 100% after 4, 8 and 12 hours in comparison to 75.3%, 73.2% and 69.2% from alginate beads at 3%, 2% and 1% polymer concentrations, respectively. Conclusion: It can thus be concluded that the amphiphilic AHAP-based bead is a simple and efficient delivery system of promising industrial significance for the improvement of the dissolution rate.