• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 1995

Polymeric reinforcement and coatings of alginate beads were carried out to control the release rate of drug from alginate beads. A poorly water-soluble ibuprofen (IPF) was selected as a model drug. A commercially available $Eudragit^{\circledR}$ RS100 was also used as a polymer. Effects of polymeric contents, the presence of plasticizers and amount of drug loading on the release rate of drug were investigated. The release rate of drug from alginate beads in the simulated gastric fluid did not occur within 2 h but released immediately when dissolution media were switched to the simulated intestinal fluid. No significant difference of release rate from polymer-reinforced alginate bead without plasticizers was observed when compared to plain (simple) beads. However, the release rate of drug from polymer-reinforced alginate beads was further sustained and retarded when aluminium tristearate (AT) as a plasticizer was added to polymer. However, polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) did not change the release rate of drug from alginate beads although PEG400 was used to improve dispersion of polymer and sodium alginate, and plasticize $Eudragit^{\circledR}$ RS100 polymer. The presence of plasticizer was crucial to reinforce alginate gel matrices using a polymer. As the amount of drug loading increased, the release rate of drug increased as a result of decreasing effects of polymer contents in matrices. The significantly sustained release of drug from polymer-coated alginate beads occurred as the amount of polymer increased because the thickness of coated membrane increased so that cracks and pores of the outer surface of alginate beads could be reduced. The sustained and retarded action of polymer-reinforced and coated beads may result from the disturbance of swelling and erosion (disintegration) of alginate beads. From these findings, polymeric-reinforcement and coatings of alginate gel beads can provide an advanced delivery system by retarding the release rate of various drugs.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1159-1164
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• 2003

Two processing routes (i.e., the gel casting and polymer preform routes) using polymer beads were studied to fabricate porous ceramics with a cellular structure. The gel casting route, comprising the gel casting of a ceramic slurry mixed with polymer beads, was found to be inadequate to produce porous ceramic bodies with a interconnected pore structure, due to complete coating of the slurry on the polymer beads, which left just isolated pores in the final sintered bodies. The polymer preform route, involving the infiltration of a polymer beads preform with the ceramic slurry, successfully produced porous ceramics with a highly interconnected network of spherical pores. The pore size of 250-300 $\mu\textrm{m}$ was demonstrated and the porosity ranged from 82 to 86%. This process is advantageous to control the pore size because it is determined by the sizes of polymer beads used. Another feature is the avoidance of hollow skeleton, giving a high strength.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2005

We developed alginate beads loaded with transforming growth $factor-{\beta}_{1}(TGF-{\beta}_{1})$ to examine the possible application of the scaffold and cytokine carrier in tissue engineering. In this study, bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and $TGF{\beta}_{1}$ were uniformly encapsulated in the alginate beads and then cultured in vitro. The cell morphology and shape of the alginate beads were observed using inverted microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), histological staining and RT-PCR to confirm chondrogenic differentiation. The amount of the $TGF{\beta}_{1}$ released from the $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads was analyzed for 28 days in vitro in a phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.4) at $37^{\circ}C$. We observed the release profile of $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ from $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads with a sustained release pattern for 35 days. Microscopic observation showed the open cell pore structure and abundant cells with a round morphology in the alginate beads. In addition, histology and RT-PCR results revealed the evidence of chondrogenic differentiation in the beads. In conclusion, these results confirmed that $TGF-{\beta}_{1}$ loaded alginate beads provide excellent conditions for chondrogenic differentiation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.103-104
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• 2007

Nanometer-scaled polymer beads, such as polystyrene beads, were used as nanometer fabrication materials due to their some advantages such as self-assembled monolayer, nanometer scaled size and excellent compatibility with silicon based devices. Thus, the investigation on these properties of polymer beads was required. It is difficult to control the array of polystyrene beads on silicon substrate. In this study, we investigated the condition of selective array of polystyrene beads on nanometer-scaled hydrophilic surface which was obtained by APS coating. A tilting method was used to array the polystyrene beads selectively on the substrate. The polystyrene beads could be arrayed selectively by this method. From these results, we verified that there are possibilities to fabricate unique tools for the nanometer-scaled electrical devices.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.645-650
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• 1998

The dual drug-loaded alginate beads simultaneously containing drug in inner and outer layers were prepared by dropping plain (single-layered) alginate beads into $CaCl_2$ solution. The release characteristics were evaluated in simulated gastric fluid for 2 h followed by intestinal fluids thereafter for 12 h. The surface morphology and cross section of dual drug-loaded alginate beads was also investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The poorlv water-soluble ibuprofen was chosen as a model drug. The surface of single-layered and dual drug-loaded alginate beads showed very crude and roughness, showing aggregated particles, surface cracks and rough crystals. The thickness of dual drug-loaded alginate beads surrounded by outer layer was ranged from about 57 to 329mcm. The distinct chasm between inner and outer layers was also observed. In case of single-layered alginate bead, the drug was not released in gastric fluid but was largely released in intestinal fluid. However, the release rate decreased as the reinforcing $Eudragit^{\circledR}$ polymer contents increased. When the plasticizers were added into polymer, the release rate largely decreased. The release rate of dual drug-loaded alginate beads was stable in gastric fluid for 2 h but largely increased when switched in intestinal fluid. The drug linearly released for 4 h followed by another linear release thereafter, showing a distinct biphasic release characteristics. There was a difference in the release profiles between single-layered and dual drug-loaded alginate beads due to their structural shape. However, this biphasic release profiles were modified by varying formulation compositions of inner and outer layer of alginate beads. The release rate of dual drug-loaded alginate beads slightly decreased when the outer layer was reinforced with $Eudragit^{\circledR}$ RS1OO polymers. In case of dual drug-loaded alginate beads with polymer-reinforced outer layer only, the initial amount of druc released was low but the initial release rate (slope) was higher due to more swellable inner cores when compared to polymer-reinforced inner cores. The current dual drug-loaded alginate beads may be used to deliver the drugs in a time dependent manner.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2007

The approach studied in the present work produced an exfoliated state of clay layers via confinement of the charged nano-sized polystyrene (PS) beads within the gallery of swollen pristine clay. It was demonstrated that adsorption of the polymer nanobeads dramatically promotes expansion of the clay gallery. A comparative study of incorporation was conducted by employing organo-modified clay along with two different colloid polymer systems: electrostatically stabilized PS nanobeads and cationic monomer-grafted PS nanobeads. The mechanism of adsorption of the monomer-grafted polymer beads onto clay via cationic exchange between the alkyl ammonium group of the polymer nanobeads and the interlayer sodium cation of the layered silicate was verified by using several techniques. As distinct from the polymer nanobeads formed using conventional miniemulsion polymerization method, competitive adsorption of stabilizing surfactant molecules was be prevented by grafting the surface functional groups into the polymer chain, thereby supporting the observed effective adsorption of the polymer beads. The presence of surface functional groups that support the establishment of strong polymer-clay interactions was suggested to improve the compatibility of the clay with the polymer matrix and eventually play a crucial role in the performance of the final nanocomposites.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2008

This study examined the swelling behavior and in vitro release of a model drug, tetracycline-HCl, from alginate and alginate-polyaspartate (Alg-PASP) composite gel beads. The alginate and Alg-PASP composite beads were prepared using an ionic crosslinking method with aqueous $Ca^{2+}$. Their microporous morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The swelling ratio of the beads in different media varied according to their composition, cross-linking density ($Ca^{2+}$ concentration), and pH of the aqueous medium. The in vitro release experiment of the tetracycline-HCl encapsulated beads in different media suggests that the release of the drug is governed mainly by the swelling properties of the polymer network. The presence of PASP was found to significantly influence the swelling properties and drug release profile.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1991

The sustained-release beads containing terbutaline sulfate (TBS) were prepared by rotogranulation method. The drug was dusted on the non-pareil seeds in a CF-granulator. The sustained-release beads were obtained by coating the active beads with ethylcellulose or $Eudragits^{(R)}$, using in any case the same granulator employed for active beads preparation. The release characteristics of sustained-release beads were examined in vitro by rotating basket method applied to $Bricanyl^{(R)}$ durules which is a sustained-release TBS matrix tablet. The release of terbutaline from the beads in vitro was first-order, and the release rate was dependent on both the coat weight ratio and membrane hydrophilicity. Both surfaces of the beads before and after dissolution were smooth. The drug release pattern from the beads could be thought the diffusion through the polymer membrane. The release rate and the surface of the beads stored for 3 years at room temperature were the same with those of the initial beads.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2008

In this study, the microsphere silicone polymer beads were synthesized by UV irradiation and alkoxy hydrolysis. The coefficient of variation (CV) of microsphere silicone polymer beads were decreased with increasing UV intensity, reaction time. The mean particle diameter, refractive index, and pH value were $4.1{\mu}m$, 1.43 and 7.5, respectively. Also, the true and bulk specific gravity, moisture content were 1.30, and 0.40, below 2%. The mean particle diameter and CV were the lowest at 0.1 wt% hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and their roundnesses were $0.95{\sim}0.98{\mu}m$ values. The particle dispersion index of microsphere silicone polymer beads was 4.92 at 450 W, 90 min and the yield was increased to 11.3% at 20 wt% methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS). The mean particle diameter was decreased with increasing the stirring rate and reaction temperature.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2003

The objective of this study was to solidify the simvastatin self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) and to improve the encapsulation efficiency of solidified alginate beads using sodium alginate. Typical simvastatin SMEDDS was composed of various oils, surfactants and cosurfactants. Also solidified-alginate beads was prepared by crosslinking liquid emulsion mixtures containing sodium alginate and other excipients (cetylpyridinum chloride (CP-Cl), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, starch and so on). in $CaCl_2$ solution, it has been investigated that the drug release pattern and encapsulation efficiency were varied with the ratio of cationic lipid (CP-Cl). Solidified sodium alginate beads containing simvastatin SMEDDS were redispersed into media without re-aggregation. Oil droplet size of redispersed solidified-beads in media produced smaller than the initial size. The density of beads and drug loading amount were increased with increasing cationic lipid content. These systems have advantages of storage stability and predictability of drug release rate.