Formulation and Evaluation of hydrogel microspheres of levetiracetam for improving half life

Pharmaceutical Sciences

The objective of the present investigation was to explore the hydrogel microspheres loaded with levetiracetam in order to improve the biological half-life of the drug by controlling the drug release. These hydrogel microspheres would be developed as oral delivery system for the release of levetiracetam, prolonging its release in the systemic circulation. Levetiracetam loaded hydrogel microspheres were prepared using Agarsoe/Pluronic F127 blend and emulsification method. F7 with blend ratio 3.33:1 exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (87.23%) whereas the lowest encapsulation was witnesses in the formulation F3 (39.93%) which has a blend ratio of 15:1. The particle size ranged from 110 µm for F3 to 277 µm for F7 and all the microspheres exhibited negative zeta potential and the values ranged from -14.2 to -18.5 mV. The SEM image exhibited irregular, frequently spherical shaped particles with non-porous and smooth surface. F3 exhibited the highest water uptake (385.5 %) whereas F7 exhibited the lowest water uptake (151.5 %). F7 released around 70.3% drug after 24 h and was considered to be the most optimized formulation. The release of Levetiracetam from F7 followed Korsemeyer-Peppas mathematical model suggesting non-Fickian diffusion.

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