Application of Chitin and Chitosan to Pharmaceutical Preparations. I. Film Preparation and in Vitro Evaluation

Abstract

Three types of chitosan films containing prednisolone (PD) were prepared and drug release from the films was studied in vitro. The films prepared include 1) a monolayer type (ML) film prepared by evaporating the solvent from a chitosan/drug mixture, 2) a double layer type (DL) film prepared by sticking together two ML films, one of which contained a drug, and 3) N-Ac film which is a DL film with one of the ML films N-acetylated and stuck onto the other ML film, which contained a drug. Release of PD from ML films was retarded as the films became thicker. Release of the drug from N-Ac films was more depressed than from the corresponding DL film and was found to follow zero-order kinetics. Pores were observed in chitosan films by scanning electron microscopy. These results suggested that chitosan and N-acetyl chitosan (chitin) films could be applicable for controlled-release preparations of drugs. © 1989, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.