Comparative Study of Herbal Extract of Piper Nigrum, Piper Album and Piper Longum on Various Characteristics of Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol Microspheres

Bioenhancers are the ‘bioavailability enhancers’; they do not show any therapeutic effect, but when used in combination enhances the activity of drug molecule. In a cited research paper, the effect of various species of piper used as bioenhancer singly and in combination in an equal ratio. The methods used for preparation of microspheres are Complex Coacervation and Modified Emulsion Method. The prepared microspheres were evaluated for various parameters like in-vitro release, drug entrapment efficiency, percent bioadhesion, permeability study using intestinal sac method. The in-vitro drug release of drugs from formulations where Piper nigrum was used as bioenhancers was found to be about 66-70% in 12 hrs. when used singly. When bioenhancers used in combination the in-vitro drug release of drugs was increased up to 85-90% for combination of Piper album and Piper longum in an equal proportion, the same was about 35-40% in case of formulations where no bioenhancers was used. The microspheres found to be less than 130 micron in size. The DEE was found to be in the range of 27-67%. The bioadhesion of the microsphere were found to be 20-76% (increased in formulations where bioenhancers incorporated). The in- vitro release study by USP paddle apparatus, the important results from in-vitro release study relates to the very significant enhancement in drug release, due to presence of bioenhancers. Keywords: Microspheres, Bioenhancer, Piper nigrum, Piper album, Piper longum, Pyrazinamide, Ethambuto