Kafirin microparticles have potential as colon-targeted delivery systems because of their\nability to protect encapsulated material from digestive processes of the upper gastrointestinal tract\n(GIT). The aim was to optimize prednisolone loading into kafirin microparticles, and investigate\ntheir potential as an oral delivery system. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to\npredict the optimal formulation of prednisolone loaded microparticles. Prednisolone release from the\nmicroparticles was measured in simulated conditions of the GIT. The RSM models were inadequate for\npredicting the relationship between starting quantities of kafirin and prednisolone, and prednisolone\nloading into microparticles. Compared to prednisolone released in the simulated gastric and small\nintestinal conditions, no additional drug release was observed in simulated colonic conditions.\nHence, more insight into factors affecting drug loading into kafirin microparticles is required to\nimprove the robustness of the RSM model. This present method of formulating prednisolone-loaded\nkafirin microparticles is unlikely to offer clinical benefits over commercially available dosage\nforms. Nevertheless, the overall amount of prednisolone released from the kafirin microparticles in\nconditions simulating the human GIT demonstrates their ability to prevent the release of entrapped\ncore material. Further work developing the formulation methods may result in a delivery system\nthat targets the lower GIT.
Loading....