ethyl-cellulose and Diabetes-Mellitus

Patients tend to evade the occurrence of hypoglycemic episodes by excessive carbohydrate intake. Glucose pellets with delayed release in the time of the maximum effect of insulin can not only prevent hypoglycemia but also eliminate the preventive carbohydrate intake. The pellets can be administered in a mixture with semisolid food. The cores containing glucose in combination with osmotically active agents (croscarmellose sodium, carmellose sodium, polyethylene glycol, or carboxymethyl starch) were prepared by extrusion-spheronization and coated with 15% water ethylcellulose dispersion (Surelease® B NF) in Wurster column (Medipo, Havlíčkův Brod, Czech Republic) into four coating levels (12.5, 25, 35, and 50%). Mean particle size is 0.63-0.73 for cores and 0.82-0.98 for coated pellets. Cores and coated pellets have excellent or good flow properties according to Hausner ratio and Carr index. Aspect ratio ranges from 1.78 to 2.17 for cores and from 1.73 to 2.31 for coated pellets. Dissolution was performed using pH-independent method and method with continual change of pH. The suitable pH-independent release was achieved in the samples containing carboxymethyl starch or polyethylene glycol. Glucose release is enabled by a membrane rupture caused by core swelling. It can be, therefore, assumed that the glucose release profile will not be affected by food or transit time.

Topics: Cellulose; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Child; Delayed-Action Preparations; Diabetes Mellitus; Dosage Forms; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Implants; Excipients; Glucose; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents; Particle Size; Polyethylene Glycols; Solubility; Starch

Hypoglycemic episodes are a frequent and serious complication in both types of diabetes mellitus. The risk of hypoglycemic conditions can be managed by a coated pellet dosage form, which can release glucose in a delayed regime to achieve the maximum estimated effect of antidiabetics. The pellet cores, intended for coating with ethylcellulose, were prepared consisting of four osmotically active excipients: crosscarmellose (Ac-Di-Sol®), a mixture of microcrystalline cellulose and carmellose sodium (Avicel® RC 591), carboxymethyl starch sodium (Vivastar® P 5000) and macrogol 6000, respectively. The aim of this study was to increase the glucose content in the pellets to minimize their volume and to improve the administration to the patients. The content of glucose in the pellet cores was increased from 45 to 75 or 80%, respectively, for all compositions. All pellet samples had satisfactory mechanical and flow properties required for the coating process. The highest values of sphericity were achieved in the lower mean particle size sample containing 80% of glucose, 15% of Avicel® PH 101 and 5% of carboxymethyl starch sodium and the higher mean particle size sample containing 75% of glucose and 25% of Avicel® RC 591.

Topics: Cellulose; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Delayed-Action Preparations; Diabetes Mellitus; Excipients; Glucose; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Particle Size

The aim of the present investigation was to prepare glipizide matrix transdermal systems using the combinations of ethyl cellulose/polyvinylpyrrolidone and Eudragit RL-100/Eudragit RS-100. The systems were evaluated for various in vitro (drug content, drug permeation, scanning electron microscopy and drug-polymer interactions) and in vivo (acute and long-term hypoglycemic activity, biochemical and histopathological studies, skin irritation and pharmacokinetic studies in mice) parameters. Drug content of the patches was found to be more than 98%. Variations in drug permeation profiles were observed among various formulations. The scanning electron microscopy of the patches showed the formation of pores on the surface after in vitro permeation studies. The drug-polymer interaction results suggested no interaction between drug and polymers. The in vivo results revealed that the patches successfully prevented the severe hypoglycemia in the initial hours and they were also effective on chronic application. The transdermal route exhibited negligible skin irritation and produced better improvement with all the tested in vivo parameters compared to oral administration.

Topics: Acrylic Resins; Administration, Cutaneous; Animals; Cellulose; Diabetes Mellitus; Drug Delivery Systems; Glipizide; Hypoglycemia; Hypoglycemic Agents; Liver; Liver Glycogen; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Povidone; Skin