Effect of cosurfactants on the release behavior of zaltoprofen-loaded PLGA microspheres in In Vitro: Preparation and characterization

Zaltoprofen, a propionic acid derivative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is known to have powerful inhibitory effects on acute, subacute and chronic inflammation. We developed poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres loaded with zaltoprofen for sustained controlled delivery using an oil-water solvent evaporation methods by varying PLGA molecular weight and cosurfactant contents. Physicochemical properties and morphology of zaltoprofen-loaded PLGA microspheres were investigated by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimeter. The size of microspheres increased with the molecular weight of PLGA and the content of cosurfactants. The increase of PLGA molecular weight and cosurfactant content decreased the porosity of microspheres, subsequently resulting in the slow drug release. The results demonstrated that the adjustment of PLGA molecular weight and the cosurfactant content allowed us to control the drug release profiles of drug-loaded microspheres.