AMYLOSE AS A COATING FOR DRUG-DELIVERY TO THE COLON - PREPARATION ANDIN-VITRO EVALUATION USING GLUCOSE PELLETS

The potential of amylose a constituent of starch, as a novel colonic d rug delivery system has been investigated. In this study glucose was u sed as a model drug and incorporated into pellets (diameter 1.40-1.70 mm) that were prepared by extrusion and spheronisation, The behaviour of different glucose containing pellets coated with an amylose-Ethocel (R) mixture (ratio 1:4 w/w) has been investigated in vitro. Dissolutio n release profiles of the formulation demonstrated in vitro gastric an d small intestine resistance. High volatile fatty acid and carbon diox ide concentrations during in vitro fermentation studies showed that th e formulation was susceptible to bacterial enzymatic attack.