Development of superior chitosan–EDTA microparticles as an adsorbent base for solidifying the self-emulsifying drug delivery systems

Abstract

Abstract Background The present study focused on developing a superior adsorbent carrier (microparticles) to solidify the self-emulsifying drug delivery system. The two approaches, solvent evaporation and spray drying, were explored to synthesize the microparticles using chitosan (CH) and EDTA disodium. The 32 full factorial design was applied to optimize the microparticle process produced by both methods. Results The various characterization evaluations of the microparticles revealed amide linkages between the CH and EDTA disodium, and XRD results showed that microparticles were amorphous. The SE-CHEM (C2) and SD-CHEM (Y1) optimized microparticles were free-flowing and had percentage yield (%), 96 ± 1.2 and 58 ± 1.1, zeta potential (mV), 9 ± 0.44 and 4 ± 0.13, and particle size (μm), 3 ± 0.57 and 2 ± 0.4, respectively. SEM images showed uneven surfaces with wide void spaces and flaky texture for optimized microparticles Y1 and C2, respectively. The SE-CHEM (C2) had an oil adsorption capacity (OAC %) of 46 ± 0.54 and 60 ± 0.77, and oil desorption capacity (ODC %), 38 ± 0.65 and 56 ± 0.86, for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. The SD-CHEM (Y1) had an oil adsorption capacity (OAC %) of 59 ± 0.71 and 68 ± 0.39, and oil desorption capacity (ODC %), 54 ± 0.11 and 65 ± 0.74, for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. In the surface free energy components analysis, the SE-CHEM (C2) had an enhanced dispersive component [γLW (mJ/m2)] of 32 ± 0.68 and 37 ± 0.47 for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. The SD-CHEM (Y1) had an enhanced dispersive component [γLW (mJ/m2)] of 48 ± 0.7 and 52 ± 0.41 for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. The SE-CHEM (C2) had enhanced dynamic advancing contact angles [θa (°)] of 75 ± 0.19 and 78 ± 0.75 for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. The SD-CHEM (Y1) had enhanced dynamic advancing contact angles [θa (°)] of 74 ± 0.6 and 80 ± 0.21 for Labrafac and Cremophor RH 40, respectively. Conclusion All the findings indicate that the microparticles have superior characteristics to serve as the adsorbent base for solid self-emulsifying drug delivery systems.