EFFECT OF DIFFERENT EXCIPIENTS ON THE RELEASE OF NORETHISTERON ACETATE FROM CHITOSAN-SODIUM ALGINATE POLYMERIC IMPLANTS

Biodegradable polymeric implant offers a novel approach for sustained drug delivery that provides an option to the patient of avoiding surgical retrieval of implant post-use. Chitosan, a biodegradable polymer extracted from the hard outer skeleton of shellfish, is used nowadays in many pharmaceutical applications (ophthalmic, nasal, sublingual, buccal, periodontal, gastrointestinal, colon-specific, vaginal, transdermal drug delivery and mucosal-vaccine). The main objective of the study was to prepare and evaluate an implantable system of Norethisteron Acetate with chitosan-sodium alginate. Norethisteron Acetate plays an important role in the long term treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding, amenorrhea, endometriosis and as contraceptive. Drug loaded Chitosan- Na Alginate implants were prepared in the ratios of 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30. As the 60:40 chitosan-sodium alginate ratio showed maximum sustained effect (8 days) it was further tested for sustained release potential with different excipients namely, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Monostearte, Cety Alcohol and Dextrose. Implants with Glyceryl Monostearte sustained the release of drug the most (23 days). Effects of excipients were also observed on drug loading efficiency. Morphology of implant surfaces was observed with SEM both before and after drug release studies. Differential Scanning Calorimetry of drug loaded implants was also performed. The release kinetics of drug was evaluated by fitting the data in different kinetic models namely, Zero order, First order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer‐Peppas. Implants were mostly found to follow Korsmeyer peppas model which indicate diffusion-controlled release from the where drug leaves the matrix through pores and channels formed by the entry of dissolution medium