FORMULATION AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DEXLANSOPRAZOLE NANOSPONGE-BASED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Abstract

The present study aimed to formulate and characterize Dexlansoprazole-loaded nanosponges for sustained
drug delivery using the emulsion solvent diffusion method. Dexlansoprazole nanosponges were prepared
using Eudragit RLPO as the polymer, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the stabilizer, and Pluronic F68 as the
surfactant. Six formulations (F1–F6) were developed by varying the concentrations of Eudragit RLPO and
PVA while maintaining a constant drug concentration. The prepared nanosponges were evaluated for
percentage yield, entrapment efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, surface morphology, in vitro drug
release, release kinetics, and stability. Among all formulations, F3 exhibited the highest percentage yield
(84.56 ± 0.025%) and entrapment efficiency (83.32 ± 0.19%). The optimized formulation showed a mean
particle size of 124.32 nm and a zeta potential of −36.65 mV, indicating nanoscale dimensions and good
physical stability. Scanning electron microscopy revealed spherical particles with a porous surface structure.
In vitro drug release studies demonstrated sustained release of Dexlansoprazole from nanosponges, achieving
96.65% cumulative drug release over 12 hours compared to rapid release from the plain drug. Release kinetic
analysis indicated that the drug release followed first-order kinetics (R² = 0.9859) with diffusion-controlled
release characteristics. Stability studies conducted for three months under refrigerated and room temperature
conditions confirmed the physicochemical stability of the optimized formulation. The results suggest that
Dexlansoprazole-loaded nanosponges represent a promising approach for enhancing drug stability and
providing sustained drug release, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance