Development of Etoricoxib-Loaded Chitosan-and PEG-Based Microparticles to Restrain the Brain/Neuro Plasticity Associated Chronic Pain

Title:Development of Etoricoxib-Loaded Chitosan-and PEG-Based Microparticles to Restrain the Brain/Neuro Plasticity Associated Chronic Pain

Volume: 9 Issue: 1

Author(s): Shunmugaperumal Tamilvanan*, Navjot Singh and Thenrajan Raja Sekharan

Affiliation:

• Lovely School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi, G.T.Road (NH-1), Phagwara, Jalandhar, Punjab,India

Keywords: Etoricoxib, amorphous, crystalline, PEG, chitosan, microparticles, residual pain, brain plasticity.

Abstract: Background: In the current investigation, oral multiple-unit microparticulate dosage form is produced with the aim of masking the salty (or bitter) taste of etoricoxib (ETX) by incorporating it into hydrophilic polymers (chitosan and polyethylene glycol (PEG))-based microparticles.

Objective: The influence of drug loading on ETX liberation from microparticles, the in vitro antiinflammatory activity of ETX either in pure powder form or after its incorporation into microparticles and the ETX taste masking by drug-loaded microparticles were studied.

Method: A temperature controlled dispersion technique was used to produce ETX-loaded chitosan-and PEG-based microparticles. Microparticles were characterized in solid state for particle size analysis, drug content, drug liberation, infrared spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography and scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of free and encapsulated ETX was assessed via the protein denaturation bioassay study and taste masking check up was performed in human volunteers.

Results: Over the tested dissolution time period of 90 min in 0.01 N HCl (pH 2.0), the increase in initial drug loadings (30-90 mg) decreased the ETX liberation (36 ± 2% for 30 mg ETX vs. 19 ± 1% for 90 mg ETX) from microparticles. No detectible interaction between drug and polymer was noticed but the drug was present in an amorphous or a disordered-crystalline state within the polymer network. Furthermore, the microencapsulation of ETX in hydrophilic polymer matrices did not alter its antiinflammatory activity [50% inhibition (IC50) values of 21 µg/ml and 23 µg/ml were observed respectively for ETX-loaded microparticles and ETX solution after mixing with egg albumin].

Conclusion: The usefulness of this oral microparticulate system in restraining the brain/neuro plasticity associated chronic (or residual) pain occurring at rheumatoid arthritis condition deserves further studies.

Cite this article as:

Tamilvanan Shunmugaperumal *, Singh Navjot and Sekharan Raja Thenrajan, Development of Etoricoxib-Loaded Chitosan-and PEG-Based Microparticles to Restrain the Brain/Neuro Plasticity Associated Chronic Pain, Micro and Nanosystems 2017; 9 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1876402909666170531075601