The objective of the study was to design and evaluate
NSAID loaded Nanoparticles drug delivery system, where
Flurbiprofen (model
drug) Nanoparticles with suitable size range are envisaged to concentrate at
inflammation sites due to increase fragility of blood vessels at those sites and increased aggregation and
prostaglandin synthesis. Materials used were
surfactant (
pluronic F 68) and
polymer (
poly lactic co glycolic acid; PLGA). The
flurbiprofen loaded nanoparticles were prepared by
solvent diffusion nano-precipitation method. Experiment was carried out following 3(2) factorial designs, where
drug-
polymer ratio was varied to optimize the formulation. From I.R studies no
drug-
polymer interaction was found. Particles size analysis was done using Malvern Mastersizer. Two parameters, namely,
drug-
polymer ratio and
solvent-nonsolvent ratio were chosen for optimization following the factorial design. Amount of
drug loading and
surfactant were kept constant, and only
polymer load was varied. The in-vitro drug release profile from nanoparticles was found to follow Higuchi square root kinetics implying a diffusion dependent release as is expected of an insoluble, non-swellable nature of PLGA. It indicated that nanoparticles formed were matrix in nature, in which
flurbiprofen dispersed uniformly. Suitable polynomial models were generated and statistically validated using ANOVA for the different responses, namely drug release (maximization) and particle size (minimization). Those models were solved numerically and simultaneously to optimize the required formulation. Optimized formulation were found to have a
polymer-
drug ratio of 18.89:1 and manufactured at a nonsolvent-
solvent ratio of 4:1 to maximized release after 8 hrs and minimized particle size. The methodology avoids the use of organic
solvent and thus provides a safe, reproducible and fast method of production of nanoparticles. The study collaborates on the feasibility and suitability of aqueous polymeric drug delivery system, employing statistical design to develop a clinically useful Nanoparticle system with targeting potential.