Alginate-based pellets prepared by extrusion/spheronization: A preliminary study on the effect of additive in granulating liquid

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of producing alginate-based pellets by extrusion/spheronization and also to improve the formation of spherical alginate-based pellets by investigating the effect of additive in granulating liquid on characteristics and drug release from resulting pellets. Two types of sodium alginate (30%) were evaluated in combination with theophylline (20%), microcrystalline cellulose (50%) and different granulation liquids. The pellets were then prepared in a basket extruder, then spheronized and dried. The final products were characterized by morphological examination and drug release study. Different additives in the granulating liquid influenced the ability of the extruded mass to form pellets (the processability) with this technique. However, different sodium alginate types responded to shape modifications to a different extent. Long, dumbbell-shaped pellets were obtained with viscous granulating liquids. However, short, nearly spherical pellets were obtained with watery granulation liquid with calcium chloride that reduced the swelling ability of sodium alginate. Improvements in the pellet characteristics were also dependent on the sodium alginate type employed. Most of pellet formulations released about 75–85% drug within 60 min and showed a good fit into both Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas equations. Higher amount of 3% calcium chloride, as a granulating liquid, in the formulation showed higher mean dissolution time resulting from the cross-linking properties of calcium ions to the negative charges of alginate molecules.