Effects of process parameters on the properties of biocompatible ibuprofen-loaded microcapsules.

The objective of this study was to obtain an optimum formulation for microencapsulating Ibuprofen. This was achieved by investigating various factors which influenced the microcapsule size. Considering Ibuprofen as a lipophilic model drug, biocompatible Ibuprofen-loaded microcapsules in the size range of 20-60microm were prepared by the water in oil emulsion-solvent evaporation method. An aqueous surfactant phase was used as the continuous external phase (W), a biocompatible organic solvent dissolving Ibuprofen was used as oil phase (O), in addition with a low boiling solvent. The biocompatible polymeric microcapsule membrane was composed of Eudragit RSPO or Ethylcellulose. The influence of various process parameters, such as the volatile organic solvent, the oily core, the stirring rate, on the characteristics of microcapsules was investigated. The encapsulation yield of Ibuprofen close to 100%, whatever the polymer type, was determined by UV-vis experiments, in accordance with the results obtained by (13)C NMR spectroscopy. An innovative technique, DSC-based thermoporosimetry, was used for the estimation of the loading rate of Ibuprofen. The results indicated that this developed analytical method had to be improved since DSC-transitions accounted to free and enclosed Ibuprofen were observed and altered the accuracy of the results.