title: Crosslinked Porous Starch Particles--a Promising Carrier.
abstract: Background. Starch is one of the most potential natural polymers used for various bio applications. Literature reports a num- ber of modification strategies such as physical, chemical, enzymatic and genetic to enhance the positive attributes and iron out the undesired features of neat starch.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To synthesize a crosslinked porous starch (CPS) as an efficient cargo for the delivery of calcium carbonate in an efficiently controlled manner for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CPS carrier was synthesized using a natural crosslinker, malic acid. The drug delivery system was formulated, followed by the in situ loading of calcium carbonate during the preparation of the CPS. The developed system was characterized with respect to FTIR, DSC, SEM, moisture content, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, phosphate binding efficiency and dissolution studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The developed formulation was observed to deliver calcium carbonate in an enterically controlled manner. The binding of calcium to phosphate was established to be pH dependent and efficient at pH 7. The moisture content of CPS was in the range of 0.2-0.8%. The zeta potential of the colloidal system was noted to be sufficiently high, indicating the stability. The encapsulation efficiency of CPS particles for calcium was found to be 88-96%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An efficient, cost-effective, facile and commercially-viable formulation was demonstrated to deliver calcium carbonate for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia.
authors.forename: Tarique Ali
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Meer
authors.forename: Kailas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moravkar
authors.forename: Jaywant
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pawar
authors.forename: Purnima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008293:Malates / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D013213:Starch / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008293:Malates; D010710:Phosphates; D013608:Tablets, Enteric-Coated; C030298:malic acid; D013213:Starch; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002118:Calcium