Development and in vitro study of Metronidazole loaded cross linked sodium alginate and gellan gum microspheres

Formulation of metronidazole loaded trivalent ion Al+3 cross-linked and gellan gum microspheres was developed. The Metronidazole loaded microspheres were prepared taking sodium alginate, gellan gum as excipients along with maleic anhydride, aluminium chloride as cross-linking agents. The evaluation processes of prepared metronidazole microspheres were done by in-vitro release study, microscopic analysis and swelling index. Each of the formulations shows good entrapment efficiency with the maximum entrapment 85.8±5.63% was governed by the F1 formulation while F2 formulation confirms 82.3±4.72% drug entrapment. The formulations provided the controlled release delivery pattern of Metronidazole. Keywords: Microspheres, Metronidazole, Gellan gum, Aluminium chloride, Maleic anhydrid