Characterization and microbiological evaluation of chitosan-alginate microspheres for cefixime vaginal administration.
Chitosan-alginate microspheres (MS) were developed for cefixime vaginal administration, to overcome problems associated with its oral administration. The effect of increasing drug-loading amount, by keeping the chitosan-alginate content constant, was investigated. Mucoadhesion studies indicated that all formulations assured in situ permanence longer than 2 h. Entrapment efficiency increased with drug loading concentration in the starting solution, reaching a plateau at 30 mg/mL indicative of the achievement of an optimal drug-to-polymer ratio. MS swelling properties increased with the entrapped drug amount, and, interestingly, water-uptake reached its maximum value at the same drug loading concentration of 30 mg/mL. The relationship found between MS water-uptake and drug release rate confirmed MS prepared with 30 mg/mL cefixime as the best formulation. Microbiological studies showed a relation between cefixime release rate from MS and Escherichia coli viability reduction, definitely indicating the selected MS formulation as the best for an effective local treatment of urogenital infections.
['Maestrelli|F|F|', 'Jug|M|M|', 'Cirri|M|M|', 'Kosalec|I|I|', 'Mura|P|P|']
D000268:Adhesiveness D000282:Administration, Intravaginal D000464:Alginates D000890:Anti-Infective Agents D020682:Cefixime D048271:Chitosan D004337:Drug Carriers D065546:Drug Liberation D004926:Escherichia coli D020723:Glucuronic Acid D006603:Hexuronic Acids D008863:Microspheres D009092:Mucous Membrane
Microspheres Cefixime Mucoadhesion 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (PubChem CID: 9283) Alginate Calcium alginate (PubChem CID: 44630049) Cefixime (PubChem CID: 5362065) Chitosan Chitosan (PubChem CID: 21896651) Sodium alginate (PubChem CID: 5102882) Vaginal delivery