INVESTIGATION OF DIFFERENT PARAMETERS AFFECTING PARTICLE SIZE TO DEVELOP TUNABLE POLYMERIC EMULSION (O/W) OF AMPHOTERICIN B

Abstract

Oil-in-water emulsions are finding increasing scope as delivery systems to encapsulate lipophilic bioactive components in functional food, personal care, and pharmaceutical products. Toxicity related issues with simple Amphotericin B (AmB) preparations and economic issues related to liposomal preparations led to the need of developing cost effective, nontoxic and therapeutically effective Amphotericin B formulation. Oil in water emulsion of Amphotericin B was prepared using Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) polymer, canola oil and tween 80 as an emulsifier. This study aims for the preparation of AmB formulations, O/W emulsion utilizing HPMC and Carbopol viscosity enhancing agent to improve the stability of globules produced during the emulsification process. Influence of various parameters that include surfactant concentration, polymer concentration, stirring speed and stirring time, on the particle size of Amphotericin B-loaded emulsions and hence on stability of emulsions was investigated. Emulsion were prepared based on above parameters were subjected to various characterization techniques to understand the trend of change in particle size of emulsion and the particle size distribution. The size, shape and elemental composition of particles were analysed using particle size distribution analyser (PSD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (EDS), FTIR (Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy) analysis, zeta Potential Measurement and optical microscopy. The prepared Amphotericin B emulsions showed the antifungal activity against several fungus including Aspergillus Tubingensis, Aspergillus Flavus, Aspergillus Niger when tested. The statistical analysis was also performed for every individual parameter under study.