• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 1986

In attempt to develop a drug delivery system using serum albumin microspheres, bovine serum albumin microspheres containing antitumar agent. Cytarabine, were prepared. The shape, surface characteristics, size distribution, behavior of in vivo distribution, drug release behavior, and degradation of albumin microsphers in animal liver issue homogenate and proteolytic enzyme were investigated. The shape of albumin microspheres was spherical and the surface was smooth and compact. The size distribution of the albumin microspheres was effected by dispertion forces during emulsification and albumin concentration. Distribution of albumin microspheres after imtravenous administration in rabbit was achieved immediately. In vitro, albumin microsphere matrix was so hard that it retained most of cytarabine except initial burst during the first 10 minutes, and the level of drug release during the initial burst was affected by heating temperature, drug/albumin microsphere matrix was so hard that it retained most of cytarabine except initial burst during the first 10 minutes, and the level of drug release during the initial burst was affected by heating temperature, drug/albumin concentration ratio and size distribution. After drug release test, the morphology of albumin microspheres was not changed. Albumin microsphere matrix was degraded by the animal liver issue homogenate and proteolytic enzyme. The degree of degradation was affected by heating temperature.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 1986

Bovine serum albumin microspheres containing cytarabine were prepared using cross-linking agent, formaldehyde. The shape and the size distribution of them were observed. The shape of them was spherical and the susrface was compact and smooth. The size distribution of them was affected by dispersion forces during emulsfication. The release of cytarabine from albumin microspheres was dependent upon cross-linking time, amount of cross-linking agent and drug/albumin ratio. However, the difference of drug release by the dispersion forces was not great. After release test, the shape of albumin microspheres was nonspherical and the albumin matrix seemed to be a little relaxed. The degradation tests of albumin microspheres by the proteolytic enzyme showed that albumin microspheres were progressively digested according to the cross-linking degree.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.159-168
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• 1985

In attempt to develop a drug delivery system using serum albumin microspheres, bovine serum albumin microspheres containing antitumor agent, cytarabine, were prepared. The shape, surface characteristics, size distribution, behavior of in vitro distribution, drug release behaior, and degradation of albumin microspheres in animal liver tissue homogenate and proteolytic enzyme were investigated. The shape of albumin microspheres was spherical and the surface was smooth and compact. The size distribution of the albumin microspheres was affected by dispersion forces during emulsification and albumin concentration. Distribution of albumin mirospheres after intravenous administration in rabbit was achieved immediately. In vitro, albumin microsphere matrix was so hard that it retained most of cytarabine except initial burst during the first 10 minutes, and the level of drug release during the initial burst was affected by heating temperature, drug/albumin concentration ratio and size distribution. After drug release test, the morphology of albumin micropheres was not changed. Albumin microsphere matrix was degraded by the rabbit liver tissue homogenate and proteolytic enzyme. The degree of degradation was affected by heating temperature.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.195-202
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• 1989

In attempt to improve the chemotherapeutic activity of adriamycin, adriamycin-entrapped HSA microspheres were prepared and investigated by the various in vitro experiments. The shape, surface characteristics and size distribution of HSA microspheres are observed by scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro drug release, albumin matrix degradation by protease of HSA microspheres were studied. The shape of HSA microspheres were spherical and the surface was smooth and compact. The size of HSA microspheres ranged from 0.4 to $2.5\;{\mu}m$ and have average diameters of 0.5 to $0.7\;{\mu}m$. The size distribution of HSA microspheres prepared by ultrasonication was mainly affected by albumin concentration and heating time in the process of hardening. In in vitro, almost all adriamycin was released from HSA microspheres for 8 hr. Analysis of the resulting adriamycin release profiles demonstrated that adriamycin is released from the microspheres in two distinct steps, a fast phase (until 30 min) followed by a much slower sustained release phase. Drug release, which is due to diffusion, was depended on the rate of matrix hydration. Drug release was largely affected by albumin concentration and heating temperature during the process of hardening. Albumin matrix degradation of HSA microspheres was affected by heating temperature and albumin concentration. Higher temperature and longer times generally produce harder, less porous, and slowly degradable microspheres.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 1993

The surface of cyarabine-entrapped albumin microspheres, the surface modified albumin microspheres hsowed remakably incrased hydrophilicity, good dispersability in aqueous medium and reduced aggregation during storage which met the requirements of injectable drug carriers in acqueous vehicle. In vitro cytarabine release from hydrophilic albumin microspheres (HAM) was a function of the cytarabine to albumin ratio, whereas no significant difference in the releasing capacity was obnserved between surface modified HAM within the small size range$(2\;to\;5\mu{m)}$ studied. HAM containing 15-23% drug were gradually degraded by protease and continuously released up to 60% of the total entrapped cytarabine for 6h. These results thus suggest that HAM is a suitable cytarabine carrier which may be injected intraveneously with the benefits of a reduced risk of blood embolism induced by aggregates and prolonged cytarabine release.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 1992

Release characteristics of five different types of hydrophilic albumin microspheres (HAM) containing different ratios of methotrexate-albumin (MTX-HSA) conjugates to free MTX: 1 : 0 (HAMC), 3 :1 (HAMC 3F), 1 :1 (HAMCF), 1:3 (HAMCF3) and 0 : 1 (HAMF) were investigated in the absence or presence of protease using dissolution tester. In all the HAMs studied except HAMC, the MTX was released bi-exponentially in the absence of protease; an initial fast release period up to approximately 6h, and thereafter the release rate was very much slower. The fast release of MTX from the HAMs (such as HAMC3F, HAMCF, HAMCF3 and HAMF) at the initial phase in probably due to the release of "physically associated" MTX from the core of the HAMs. The initial rate constants were 7.2, 8.7, 8.5 and 5.9 times greater than the second rate constants for HAMF, HAMCF3, HAMCF and HAMC3F, respectively. MTX release from HAMC was very slow and mono-phasic. It was at most 2.2% of the total entrapped amount by 24 h. The protease accelerated the release of MTX from the HAMs. The percentages of MTX released from HAMs up to 24 h were 100, 89.0, 75.0, 66.0 and 61.0% for HAMF, HAMCF3, HAMCF, HAMC3F and HAMC, respectively in the presence of protease and the corresponding values in the absence of protease were 30.2 19.0, 10.0, 6.5 and 2.2%, respectively. In vitro release of MTX in the presence of protease varied according to the ratios of MTX-HSA conjugates to MTX; the data set from HAMF, HAMCF3 and HAMCF fits better to monophasic first-order profile more adequately than to zero-order profile, that of HAMC3 monophasic first-order, and that of HAMC to bi-phasic zero-order. Above results suggested that zero-order release rate can be achieved by adjusting the ratio of MTX-HSA conjugates to MTX in the preparation of HAMs such as HAMC3F.as HAMC3F.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 1996

The surface of albumin microspheres was modified with methotrexate(MTX) by using 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC). Surface-modified albumin microspheres entrapping no MTX (SAMS), free MTX (SAMSF) and MTX-bovine serum albumin(BSA) conjugates(SAMSC) were prepared. The organ-targeting ability of free $[^3H]MTX,\;[^3H]MTX-BSA$ conjugate and the above microspheres was evaluated after i.v. administration of the preparations, equivalent to 150 nCi via the tail vein of mice. The total radioactivity in the lung increased immediately in a few minutes after i.v. injection of the microspheres, and then declined for the period of 3-4 weeks. However, the radioactivity in the liver, spleen and kidney increased slowly during the rapid decrease in radioactivity in the lung. This suggested that the microspheres could be entrapped rapidly in the lung through mechanical filtration because of their large size and slowly redistributed to the liver, spleen and kidney due to either the microspheres being degraded enough for the size to allow passage through the capillary beds of the lung and/or the release of $[^3H]MTX\;or\;[^3H]MTX-BSA$ conjugates from the microspheres. The amount of $60{sim}70%$ of the dose was targeted to the liver after the i.v. injection of SAMS, SAMSF and SAMSC, and the values of $(R_e\;^*\;_{e)liver}$ from the microspheres were $5{\sim}7$ compared to free MTX. This suggested that the liver-targeting ability from surface-modified albumin microspheres could be $5{\sim}7$ times as that of free MTX. The liver-targeted drug was accumulated in the Kupffer cells at the initial stage, thereafter the drug in the Kupffer cell was slowly transferred into the hepatocytes. The value of AUQ for liver from SAMS was higher than that from SAMSF, but much lower than that from SAMSC. This suggest that MTX bound to their surface could be eliminated slower than the entrapped free MTX, and faster than the entrapped MTX-BSA conjugates. This is consistent with the in vitro release rates order in the presence of a proteolytic enzyme. Also, surface-modified MTX was scarcely released in the absence of a proteolytic enzyme. Therefore, the surface-modified MTX nay be released (or eliminated) rapidly from SAMSC at the target site, and thereafter MTX may be released (or eliminated) slowly from the entrapped MTX-BSA conjugates in SAMSC for a long period.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.241-256
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• 2001

Alginate microspheres, containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) were prepared and used as a model drug to develop the oral vaccine delivery system. The alginate microspheres were coated with poly-L-lysine or chitosan. Two methods, w/o-emulsion and spray, were used to prepare alginate microspheres. To optimize preparation conditions, effects of several factors on the particle size and particle morphology of microsphere, and loading efficiency of model antigen were investigated. In both preparation methods, the particle size and the loading efficiency were enhanced when the concentration of sodium alginate increased. In the w/o-emulsion preparation method, as the concentration of Span 80 was increased from 0.5% to 2%, the particle size was decreased, but the loading efficiency was increased. The higher the emulsification speed was, the smaller the particle size and loading efficiency were. The concentration of calcium chloride did not show any effect on the particle size and loading efficiency. In the spray preparation method, the particle size was increased as the nozzle pressure $(from\;1\;kgf/m^2\;to\;3\;kgf/m^2)$ and spray rate was raised. Increasing calcium chloride concentration (<7%) decreased the particle size, in contrast to no effect of calcium chloride concentration on the w/o-emulsion preparation method. Alginate microspheres prepared by two methods were different in the particle size and loading efficiency, the particle size of microspheres prepared by the spray method was about $2-6\;{\mu}m$, larger than that prepared by the w/o emulsion method $(about\;2{\mu}m)$, and the loading efficiency was also higher with spray method. Furthermore, drying process for the microspheres prepared by the spray was simpler and easier, compared with the w/o emulsion preparation. Therefore, the spray method was chosen to prepare alginate microspheres for further experiments. Release pattern of FITC-BSA in alginate microspheres was evaluated in simulated intestinal fluid and PBS (phosphate buffered saline). Dissolution rate of FITC-BSA from alginate/chitosan microsphere was lower than that from alginate microsphere and alginate/poly-L-lysine microsphere. By confocal laser scanning microscope, it was revealed that alginate/FITC-poly-L-lysine microspheres were present in close apposition epithelium of the Peyer's patches of rabbits following inoculation into lumen of intestine, which proved that microspheres could be taken up by Peyer's patch. In conclusion, it is suggested that alginate microsphere prepared by spray method, showing a particle size of & $10\;{\mu}m$ and a high loading efficiency, can be used as a model drug for the development of oral vaccine delivery system.