Design and Development of Sweet Potato Starch Blended Sodium Alginate Mucoadhesive Microcapsules of Glipizide

Mucoadhesive microcapsules of Glipizide were prepared for reducing the dosing frequency, to improve the patience compliance and to obtain control release. Glipizide microcapsules with a coat consisting of alginate and sweet potato starches were prepared by employing ionic gelation and emulsification ionotropic gelation techniques. The microcapsules were evaluated for flow properties, Carr ’s index, hausner factor, microencapsulation efficiency, drug release characteristics, surface characteristics; compatibility studies and mucoadhesive properties. These two methods gave discrete, large sized, free flowing spherical microcapsules without any interactions. Glipizide release from the microcapsules was slow and followed zero order kinetics and followed non –fickian release and depended on the coat: core ratio and the method employed in the preparation of microcapsules. Among the two methods emulsification ionotropic gelation technique was found to be more suitable for slow and complete release of Glipizide over a long period of time. These microcapsules exhibited good mucoadhesive property in the invitro wash-off test. These Mucoadhesive microcapsules are, thus, suitable for oral controlled release of Glipizide.