ENCAPSULATION OF IBUPROFEN INTO SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES FOR CONTROLLED AND SUSTAINED RELEASE USING EMULSIFICATION SOLVENT EVAPORATION TECHNIQUE

Objective: The objective of the study was to encapsulate ibuprofen (IBU) into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) for enhanced dissolution and achieving a sustained and controlled release of the drug from the nanocarrier. Methods: IBU loaded nanoparticles were prepared by emulsification solvent evaporation technique and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy. Release kinetics on the drug-loaded nanoparticles was carried out in phosphate buffer pH 6.8 using pharma test dissolution apparatus adopting shaking basket method at 37°C. Results: The optimized IBU-loaded SLNs had a particle size of 76.40 nm, polydispersity index of 0.275, and zeta potential of −41.3 mV. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) and DL were 99.73% and 2.31%, respectively. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra confirmed successful encapsulation of the drug inside the nanocarrier as only peaks responsible for the emulsifier and the binder could be identified. This corroborated well with XRD spectra which showed a completely amorphous state of the drug-loaded nanoparticles as compared to the crystalline nature of the pure drug. The IBU-SLNs showed a release profile of up to 8 h which is a great improvement from other reported works. The drug release pattern of IBU-SLNs was best fitted with Higuchi square root model and followed the Higuchi drug release kinetics. Korsmeyer-Peppas model confirmed a non-Fickian diffusion model for the release of the drug from the matrix system. Conclusion: IBU-loaded SLNs were successfully prepared which had a sustained and controlled release. It was observed that the release of the drug from the matrix was diffusion controlled and time dependent