Abstract

Nimesulide-loaded calcium alginate beads were prepared. In this Investigation, a 23 full factorial design was used to study the joint influence of three variables, the polymer concentration (X1), the drug concentration (X2) and the cross-linker (calcium chloride) concentration (X3), on various dependent variables like per cent entrapment, sphericity, particle size and amount of drug released during the initial (t=60 min). and final stages (t=360 min) of release. A statistical model with a significant Interaction term is obtained to predict the results. The drug release mechanisms from micro spheres were studied using the Peppas equation.