Floating microparticles based on low density foam powder.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel multiparticulate gastroretentive drug delivery system and to demonstrate its performance in vitro. Floating microparticles consisting of (i) polypropylene foam powder; (ii) verapamil HCl as model drug; and (iii) Eudragit RS, ethylcellulose (EC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as polymers were prepared with an O/W solvent evaporation method. The effect of various formulation and processing parameters on the internal and external particle morphology, drug loading, in vitro floating behavior, in vitro drug release kinetics, particle size distribution and physical state of the incorporated drug was studied. The microparticles were irregular in shape and highly porous. The drug encapsulation efficiency was high and almost independent of the theoretical loading. Encapsulation efficiencies close to 100% could be achieved by varying either the ratio 'amount of ingredients: volume of the organic phase' or the relative amount of polymer. In all cases, good in vitro floating behavior was observed. The release rate increased with increasing drug loading and with decreasing polymer amounts. The type of polymer significantly affected the drug release rate, which increased in the following rank order: PMMA<EC<Eudragit RS. A broad spectrum of release patterns could be obtained with the investigated formulations. In contrast, the effect of the volume of the aqueous phase on drug release was not very pronounced. The size of the microparticles was almost independent of the drug loading, but strongly depended on the amount of polymer. The drug was partly dissolved and partly in the amorphous form distributed throughout the system.