Formulation and Characterization of Biocompatible Microspheres of Benzophenone-3

The objective of present study was to develop gelatin microsphere containing Benzophenone-3 (Benz-3) for topical delivery, evaluating the effect of stirring speed, Effect of polymer concentration and effect of cross linker (sugars) on particle size, surface morphology, microencapsulation efficiency and in vitro drug release. Gelatin microspheres were prepared using emulsion cum thermal gelation technique by dropping Benz-3 and cross linker containing solution of gelatin, into preheated Soya oil. The USP paddle method was selected to carry out the dissolution studies carried out in methanol at pH=5.5 (pH was adjusted by using 0.2M NaOH). It was found that the microspheres with fructose and sucrose have smooth surface having particle size 29.6μm and 80.63μm, respectively. But untreated and glucose treated microspheres have wavy surface with particle size 50.32 and 45.02μm. It was observed that untreated microspheres and microspheres crosslinked with cross linked sucrose showed faster release of drug although microspheres cross linked with fructose and glucose showed delayed release of drug. In vitro drug release data showed that the formulation cross linked with fructose was best for sustained release of Benz-3 due to 95% release of drug after 12 hrs with t50 and t70 of 400min and 560min, respectively. The release of Benz-3 was influenced by the different cross linkers. Drug release kinetic from the fructose cross linked microspheres corresponded best to the first order kinetics.