Gelatin-acacia microcapsules for trapping micro oil droplets containing lipophilic drugs and ready disintegration in the gastrointestinal tract.

Nonhardened gelatin-acacia microcapsules were studied for encapsulation of microdroplets of oil solution containing a lipophilic drug as core material and ready disintegration with release of micro oil droplets in the gastrointestinal tract. Probucol and S-312-d, a Ca-channel blocker, were employed as model lipophilic drugs. Glyceryl tricaprylate and tricaprate mixture solutions containing these drugs were encapsulated according to the complex coacervation method and were recovered as free-flowing powders without any hardening (cross-linking) step. The microcapsules obtained were disintegrated, and the emulsion was reproduced within 3 min at 37 degrees C in the first or second test solution defined in the Japanese Pharmacopeia XII. When the microcapsules were stored as a powder at room temperature in a closed bottle, no significant change in their appearance or disintegration time upon rehydration was observed even after 1 year. Oral bioavailabilities of model drugs from the microcapsules were tested in rats and dogs and compared with those from other conventional formulations. Gastrointestinal absorption of both probucol and S-312-d from the microcapsules was remarkably more efficient than that from other formulations such as powders, granules, or oil solution. The proposed method for microencapsulation could be useful for powdering drug-containing oil solutions or O/W emulsions while maintaining excellent bioavailability.