Novel microparticle drug delivery systems based on chitosan and Eudragit®RSPM to enhance diltiazem hydrochloride release property

The aim of this study was to enhance the release properties of diltiazem hydrochloride (diltiazem HCl) by using microparticle system. For this reason, microparticle drug delivery systems based on chitosan and Eudragit®RSPM were developed. The microparticles were prepared by using double-emulsion solvent extraction method and the mean sizes of microparticles were less than 120 µm. The in vitro drug release from microparticles was studied in simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestinal media (pH 7.4) than the results were evaluated by kinetically. In vitro diltiazem HCl release from microparticles showed good zero order kinetic. For the microparticles with chitosan, the release of diltiazem HCl at pH 1.2 could be effectively sustained, while the release of diltiazem HCl increased at pH 7.4 when compared to Eudragit®RSPM microparticles. The highest release percent obtained was 1:1 ratio of drug: polymer at pH 1.2 and 7.4. All results clearly suggest that the release properties of diltiazem HCl were improved by using microparticle systems especially which contain chitosan.