Pharmaceutical Utility of Assam Bora Rice for Controlled Drug Delivery

The use of natural polymers in the drug delivery continues to be an area of intensive research despite the advent of several new synthetic polymers. The present study envisages pharmaceutical utility of Assam glutinous rice as natural biopolymeric matrix for microfabricated controlled DDS. Microcarriers were prepared using an industrially feasible ionic gelation method using the blends of proposed new biopolymer alongwith sodium alginate. The microcarriers so prepared were subjected to characterization for particle size analysis, entrapment efficiency, mucoadhesivity, swelling, surface topography and drug release kinetics in an in vitro dissolution testing. The prepared microcarriers showed excellent drug entrapment efficiency, having the particle size distribution in range of 0.98 ± 0.008 to 1.12 ± 0.014 mm and exhibited pH dependent drug release in an in vitro dissolution test. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the irregular surface of the microcarriers and with varying shapes.