Formulation and Evaluation of Micro Sponges Loaded with Acyclovir Using an Antiviral Drug.

The main objective of the present research work was to develop and evaluate the anti-viral drug (Acyclovir) loaded micro sponges using polymers. Micro sponges of acyclovir were prepared by quassi-emulsion solvent diffusion method by using EC and HPMC as polymers. The prepared acyclovir micro sponges were subjected to IR, SEM, Particle size and Size distribution, Entrapment efficiency, in vitro dissolution studies and release kinetics. The IR Spectras revealed that, there was no interaction between the polymer and acyclovir. Acyclovir micro sponges was spherical in nature, which was confirmed by SEM. Acyclovir micro sponges with normal frequency distribution were obtained. A maximum of 95.67% drug entrapment efficiency was obtained in the acyclovir micro sponges. F5 formulations ACV micro sponges show the maximum drug release. The coefficient of determination indicated that the release data was best fitted with higuchi model kinetics. The release kinetics data implies that the release mechanism of all formulation was Non Fickian diffusion mechanism. On the basis of particle size, entrapment efficiency and morphology, in vitro release studies and its kinetics data, F5 (formulation) was selected as optimized formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]