Preparation and evaluation of chitosan-coated alginate/gelatin sustained releasing microspheres containing berberine hydrochloride in vitro

The goal of this study was to evaluate the technological feasibility of delivering poorly water-soluble antibacterial agent using chitosan coated alginate/gelatin microspheres. The microspheres were prepared by an emulsification technique, characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Drug loading, encapsulation yield and release studies were also assessed according to the Chinese pharmacopoeia. The results implied that the microspheres were a useful dosage form to increase drug loading for the poorly water-soluble drugs by encapsulating with chitosan, indicated that they had satisfactory sustained releasing behavior in simulated gastric fluid.