Microencapsulation using poly(l-lactic Acid) iv: Release properties of microcapsules containing phenobarbitone

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Abstract
Microcapsules containing phenobarbitone were prepared from poly(L-lactic acid), using a water/oil emulsification and evaporation process. Polymers of three different molecular weights were used. Particle size was found to increase with an increase in core loading and polymer molecular weight. Release studies were carried out at buffer pHs of 2 and 9 at 37°C. The release mechanism was found to follow a square root of time relationship. Almost 90 per cent of the phenobarbitone was released within 2 h. The release rate was not a direct relationship with the phenobarbitone content of the microcapsules because of the differing size and surface area of the microcapsules. However, normalized release rates (release rate/specific surface area) were found to increase linearly with the increase in phenobarbitone content. First order release plots of the data were not found consistent with the core loading. The release at a buffer pH of 9 was very rapid and with some microcapsules was faster than solution of the uncoated crystalline phenobarbitone. At pH 2 release was also very rapid, due to the presence of large pores in the microcapsules of high molecular weight polymers. Release from the microcapsules prepared from low molecular weight polymer was slower than those from high molecular weight polymers. Microcapsules from the low molecular weight polymer were found to swell in the dissolution medium and finally disintegrated into smaller fragments.