Formulation and Evaluation of Polymeric Nanoparticles of Rifampicin for Anti-Tubercular Therapy

Polymeric Nanoparticles of Rifampicin were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation technique using poly methyl methacrylate as polymer matrix and Poly vinyl alcohol as surfactant. Drug entrapped free flowing nanoparticles of Rifampicin were obtained after optimization using 32 factorial design and characterized for entrapment efficiency, particle size distribution, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in vitro and stability studies. The PMMA nanoparticles had a small size (213 ± 0.72 nm), uniform size distribution. The effects of dependent variables drug-polymer ratio and surfactant concentration on particle size and encapsulation efficiency were studied. The drug and polymer were not interacting with each other. SEM studies revealed the spherical shape of nanoparticles and in vitro release studies showed sustained drug release. RIF-polymeric nanoparticles drug delivery system proved to be promising for anti-tubercular therapy.