title: Spray dried Eudragit microparticles as encapsulation devices for vitamin C.
abstract: The aim of the present paper was to study production of methacrylate microparticles for the delivery (administration) of ascorbic acid via the oral route. Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that may be involved in the reduction of the risk of certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer. As polymers different acrylic compounds were considered, namely Eudragit RL, L and RS. Spray-drying was used as preparation method of vitamin C/Eudragit microspheres. Microspheres were first characterized by size and morphology by scanning electron microscopy, then in vitro release kinetics by mean of dialysis method were studied. Although the produced microparticles were unable to slow down the release of the drug with respect to the free form of ascorbic acid, these microspheres showed a good morphology and size distribution that permit to propose them as candidate for the delivery of vitamin C as associated therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer by oral route.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università di Ferrara, via Fossato di Mortara 19, 44100, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cervellati
authors.forename: Enea
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menegatti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nastruzzi
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cortesi
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D005079:Excipients; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005079:Excipients; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; C038300:methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer; D001205:Ascorbic Acid