Development and evaluation of sustained-release ibuprofen-wax microspheres. I. Effect of formulation variables on physical characteristics.

A congealable disperse phase encapsulation method was used to prepare sustained-release ibuprofen-wax microspheres. Microspheres prepared with paraffin wax, such as ceresine and microcrystalline waxes, using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as dispersant had a tendency to aggregate, but the addition of wax modifiers (stearyl alcohol and glyceryl monostearate) greatly reduced aggregation. Optimum modifier and dispersant concentrations were 20% (w/w) and 5% (w/v), respectively. The particle size distribution of the microspheres was log-normal. An increase in modifier, dispersant concentration, emulsification stirring speed, or temperature shifted the size distribution toward finer particles. Microcrystalline wax required a higher emulsification temperature and produced finer particles than ozokerite wax. The recovery of drug from the different microsphere formulations varied between 71 and 92%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of the single components and physical mixtures showed endothermic peaks at the respective melting-point ranges. The DSC of the ceresine and microcrystalline wax microspheres was similar to rescans of ternary mixtures of components of the microspheres with less prominent and lower melting temperatures than individual components or physical mixtures.