FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CEFIXIME MICROSPHERES

Y. Manjula Devi*,1, S. Venkata Naidu2, G. Sailaja2, R. Ramachandra Murthy2, B. Ranganath3

The purpose of this research work was to increase the residence time of drug Cefixime by formulating as floating microspheres and to study the effect of formulation variables on microsphere characteristics. Microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation method in which ethyl cellulose used as a release retardant polymer. Nine different formulations were prepared by changing drug to polymer ratio, volume of internal phase, volume of external phase and stirring time. The prepared microspheres were characterized for drug - polymer compatibility by IR, percentage yield, particle size analysis, drug entrapment efficiency, surface morphology by SEM, bulk density, percentage buoyancy, in-vitro release and release kinetic studies. Results of these evaluations showed that particle size in the range of 102.5±1.3μm to 110±2.21 μm, entrapment efficiency was found to be 75.69±1.91 to 88.35±2.67%, drug content was found to be in the range of 97.46±2.4 to98.95±1.8. Fourier-Transform Infra Red (FT-IR) studies ensured that no drug - polymer interaction in the formulated microspheres and the surface topography revealed a spherical surface for all the formulations and a round cavity enclosed by an outer shell composed of the drug and polymer. In- vitro release profile of microspheres for F6 formulation was found to be 97.87±0.2 at the end of 12 hrs. In release kinetic studies, the F6 formulation followed zero order drug release with non-Fickian diffusion mechanism.