Development and evaluation of sustained delivery of diclofenac sodium from hydrophilic polymeric beads

Sustained-release polymeric beads containing diclofenac sodium were fabricated with hydrophilic polymers,
sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na CMC), and sodium alginate (Na alginate). Particulate beads of Na CMC
and Na alginate were prepared by the ionotropic gelation method using calcium chloride as a cross-linking
agent. Beads of diclofenac sodium were prepared with different concentrations of polymers. Prepared beads
were evaluated for their yield, particle size, drug entrapment effi ciency, release behavior and tested for the
presence of incompatibility using FTIR measurement. The drug entrapment effi ciency varied between 73 and
92% in different formulations. For the same concentration of polymer, the release of diclofenac sodium from the
beads was observed to be 82.69% and 91.33% for Na CMC and Na alginate, respectively, at the end of 10 h .
The drug in beads maintained its identity after bead formation as observed by the FTIR study. From the study
it could be concluded that multiparticulate beads of diclofenac sodium could be successfully prepared by the
ionotropic gelation technique with high entrapment effi ciency and sustained-release characteristics.