Characteristics of ethylcellulose microcapsules of sulfisoxazole

Sulfisoxazole, a chemotherapeutic agent, was microencapsulated with ethylcellulose by means of phase separation form cyclohexane by temperatture change. The size distribution was determined by use of standard sieves and the effect of core to wall ratio was noted. To examine their shapes and usrface characteristics, the microcapsules were observed with a scanning electron microscope. Release of the drug from microcapsules into pH 7.5 buffer medium was studied. The release pattern was found to have similar properties to the release of a drug from an insoluble porous matrix reported. The apparent diffusion coefficient of sulfisoxazole was measured for the transport of the drug from the core of microcapsules into the surronding sink condition. The apparent diffusion coefficient increased with increasing capsule size.