Cubic liquid crystalline glyceryl monooleate matrices for oral delivery of enzyme

In situ cubic phase transforming system of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) has been prepared which offers protection to the metaloenzyme, seratiopeptidase (STP), in gastric environment and provides delayed and controlled release with no initial burst after oral administration. Effect of magnesium trisilicate (MTS) on floating, proteolytic activity and drug release was studied. Gelucire® 43/01 was incorporated in the system to provide prolonged lag time. The drug-loaded matrices required 100 mg of MTS to overcome floatability of GMO matrix. Plain GMO matrices showed 85.3% loss of proteolytic activity in acidic medium, whereas matrices containing MTS showed retention of activity (111.6%). The hydrophobic nature of MTS induced formation of cubic phase at faster rate and the existence of cubic phase was confirmed by polarizing light microscopy. Furthermore, MTS provided alkaline microenvironment, which prevented acid-catalyzed hydrolysis and protein unfolding. The magnesium ions restored the activity of STP. The release of STP was decreased with increasing amount of MTS in the matrix. Gelucire did not affect proteolytic activity. The water uptake of matrices with gelucire was decelerated due to formation of hexagonal phase. However, the rate of STP release from these matrices was very slow due to incorporation of gelucire into lipid bilayers, which provided resistance to movement of STP. Thus, microenvironment-controlled in situ cubic phase transforming GMO matrices provided protection to STP and controlled release.