Preparation of alginate microspheres for the delivery of risperidone

Aim: The aim of this research is to prepare and evaluate alginate microspheres of prolonged delivery of a model drug, Risperidone. Methods: Alginate microspheres containing Risperidone were prepared employing cross-linking method by calcium chloride. The formed microspheres were evaluated for percentage yield, drug content, drug loading, and encapsulation efficiency. In vitro release studies were carried out in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Results: The formed microspheres exhibited good drug loading and encapsulation efficiency. The drug release was sustained over a period of 8 hours. Conclusions: The developed microspheres of Risperidone exhibited prolonged drug release and, therefore, could potentially improve the bioavailability of the drug as well as patient compliance. The delivery system developed can potentially serve for the delivery of many therapeutic agents