Abstract

FORMULATION AND IN VITRO EVALUATION OF NELFINAVIR MESYLATE MICROCAPSULES USING HYDROXY PROPYL METHYL CELLULOSE

Dr. Raghvendra*, Pragya Sharma and Nidhi Dhama

Abstract

Nelfinavir Mesylate is a protease inhibitor used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Microcapsules of Nelfinavir Mesylate were developed as sustained release dosage form and release kinetics were studied. The desired microencapsulation was achieved by solvent evaporation method using Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose in different drug: polymer ratios of 1:1,1:2,1:3,1:4 and 1:5.Characterization of five formulations FH‐1, FH ‐2, FH‐3, FH‐4, FH‐5 was performed by size, shape, entrapment efficiency, infrared spectroscopy and in vitro drug release analysis. The prepared microcapsules were free flowing, spherical in shape, with particle size in the range 85‐100μm. FH‐5 had maximum entrapment efficiency of 94.13%. The in vitro release profile of FH‐5 was found to give 72.13% release of the drug which was more than the release of drug in FH‐1, FH‐2, FH‐3 and FH‐4. Release kinetics showed it followed zero‐order kinetics and the correlation coefficient in Higuchi model indicated diffusion controlled mechanism.

Keywords: Nelfinavir Mesylate, HPMC, Microcapsules, Release kinetics.