Preparation of biodegradable microcapsules containing zidovudine (AZT) using solvent evaporation technique.

Sustained release biodegradable microcapsules of AZT were prepared using different concentrations of copolymer of poly(lactic/glycolic) acid (PLGA 50:50 and PLGA 90:10). Solid microcapsules were collected following the complete evaporation of the solvent. The yield of microcapsules was increased two fold with a two-fold increase of the polymer concentration. The efficiency of encapsulation of AZT was also increased with the increase of the polymer concentration. These microcapsules were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The dissolution of AZT from the microcapsules of PLGA (50: 50) was higher than the microcapsules of PLGA (90:10); the PLGA (50:50) microcapsules containing 1:10 drug/polymer ratio showed higher dissolution than the microcapsules containing 1:20 drug/polymer ratio. The PLGA (90:10) microcapsules containing 1:6 drug/polymer ratio showed higher dissolution than the microcapsules containing 1:10 drug/polymer ratio. In conclusion, the dissolution of AZT was dependent on the type of the copolymer used and the relative concentrations of the drug and the copolymer.