FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF VALACYCLOVIR LIPOSOMES

The main aim of the present study was to formulate and evaluate valacyclovir-loaded liposomes. A drug and excipient compatibility study was performed by FT-IR, and the study revealed that there was no interaction between drug and excipients. Liposomes are prepared by using two different methods, i.e., ether injection method and thin-film hydration method. Various formulations are prepared by varying the concentration of phospholipid and cholesterol. All formulations are evaluated for entrapment efficiency and in-vitro drug release studies. The optimized formulation showed the highest entrapment efficiency (96.51%) and highest drug release (84.21%). The optimized formulation was evaluated for FT-IR, SEM and particle size analysis, and zeta potential studies. The FT-IR study revealed that there is no interaction between drugs and excipients. The optimized formulation was found to be stable with zeta potential -40.9 mV and particle size of 67.4 nm with uniform distribution. The regression coefficient (R² value) 0.966 indicating release as zero-order, where “n” value 1.212 states the mechanism as a super case-II transport mechanism. Stability studies were carried out for the optimized formulation for 1 month by storing at three different temperatures. After 1 month, the samples were analyzed for their physical properties, drug entrapment, and in-vitro release profile. The formulation, which is stored at 4-8 ºC, was found to be stable without any significant changes in the drug entrapment and in-vitro drug release profile.