Enhancement of Hypolipidemic Effect of Atorvastatin Calcium via Floating Microspheres

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of hypolipidemic atorvastatin calcium (ATC) floating microspheres on the LDL and HDL level in rabbit blood. Floating microspheres-loaded ATC were prepared via emulsion solvent evaporation method using Eudragit S100 as polymer. The effect of certain variables including drug: polymer ratio, stirring rate, emulsifier concentration and internal: external phase volume ratio on the floating microspheres formulations were performed. Evaluation of floating microspheres was done using particle size analysis, percentage yield, in-vitro buoyancy, entrapment efficiency determination, optical microscopy, in-vitro drug release studies, Thermal analysis (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The prepared microspheres showed a good floating ability. The Floating microspheres formulation No (F5) revealed the highest %drug released (66%) after 8 h. Furthermore, F5 significantly decreased the blood LDL and increased HDL in comparison with the market drug (ATOR ®) and it succeeded in lowering the rabbit's blood total cholesterol level by 74.42%.

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