Egg albumin microspheres containing paracetamol for oral administration. I. In vitro characterization.

Different egg albumin microsphere systems for oral administration of paracetamol were prepared by the emulsion and capillary extrusion methods. The size of the microspheres depended on the method used to produce the microcapsules and also the size of the crystals of paracetamol. The effect of the following factors on in vitro dissolution were studied: different denaturation processes, variation in the ratio of paracetamol to albumin, size of microspheres, remnant oil in the microspheres, and the coating of the microspheres with membranes of polymethacrylates (Eudragit). The most important factors to control the release of paracetamol from the microspheres were the denaturation process and the use of waxes and membranes to delay the release of paracetamol from the microspheres. The egg albumin microspheres were very porous and permeable to water and thus the release of the paracetamol from the matrix was usually fast unless the microspheres were suitably coated, with, for example, Eudragit RL or RS.