Application of an Amine Functionalized Biopolymer in the Colonic Delivery of Glycyrrhizin: A Design and In Vivo Efficacy Study

In our current study, a newer amine functionalized guar gum derivative was studied for its efficacy in colonic drug delivery. Glycyrrhizic acid mono-ammonium salt was used as the model drug. Drug-loaded microparticles were formulated by ionic crosslinking using sodium tripolyphosphate. The Scanning Electron Microscopic study revealed spherical particles of sizes from 4.9 ± 3.8 μm to 6.9 ± 3.9 μm. The FT-IR studies presented a possible interaction between the drug and the polymer. The drug was encapsulated in amorphous form as observed from the powder X-Ray Diffraction studies. A cumulative drug release study was carried out in simulated gastric, intestinal, and colonic fluids. The cumulative drug release studies presented a burst release followed by a sustained release of the drug in simulated colonic fluid containing rat cecal contents. The drug-polymer ratio was optimised using a 3(2) factorial design by taking the amounts of glycyrrhizic acid (X(1)) and guar gum alkyl amine (X(2)) as the independant variables. The percent cumulative drug release at 240 mins (Q(240)), 720 mins (Q(720)), and at 1,440 mins (Q(1440)) were considered as the dependant variables. The efficacy of the optimized formulation was studied in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced rat colitis model. The tissue’s nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, and myeloperoxidase activities were found to be much lower in the microparticle-treated group compared to free drug-treated group. The histology of the colonic tissue from the treated group of animals revealed almost no infiltration of inflammatory cells in the tissue for the microparticle-treated group of animals. The synthesized amine derivative of guar gum was found to be better in vitro with a better in vivo efficacy in the colonic delivery of glycyrrhizic acid monoammonium salt and can be considered as a newer modified biopolymer for colonic drug delivery.