Continuous preparation of sustained release vildagliptin nanoparticles using tubular microreactor approach

Abstract

This investigation used a tubular microreactor to produce Vildagliptin (VLG) loaded ethyl cellulose (EC) nanoparticles (NPs) for sustained delivery of a drug. A central composite design was used to quantify the influence of independent variables on the desired responses. The independent factors selected to achieve the desired entrapment efficiency and sustained drug release were EC concentration and sodium lauryl sulfate concentration. On the other hand, the dependent variables chosen for assessment were particle size (Y1) and encapsulation efficiency (Y2). The nanoparticles produced were analyzed, which included particle size measurement, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, encapsulation efficiency (EE) determination, and in vitro drug release study. The optimized samples TEM investigation verified the nanoparticles’ spherical shape and particle size distribution, ranging from 160 to 250 nm. The entrapment efficiency (EE) fell within the range of 63–87%. In the in-vitro drug release study, VLG-loaded EC nanoparticles exhibited sustained release over 12 h. Applying various kinetic equations to the in-vitro drug release data demonstrated that the drug release mechanism involved diffusion. This comprehensive study concluded that the VLG-EC-NPs achieved optimal particle size, EE, and desirable level of sustained drug release.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Antidiabetic
• microreactor
• sustained release
• ethyl cellulose
• vildagliptin
• nanoparticles

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

One of the authors is grateful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, for providing financial support in terms of the UGC-BSR Mid-Career Award Grant (F. 19-251/2020 (BSR)).