Abstract

The major concern of the present study was to evaluate the processing conditions and formulation factors affecting diclofenac sodium –eudragit RS100 nanoformulation size and their optimization to reach optimized nanoparticle (size below 200 nm). Diclofenac sodium –eudragit RS100 nanoparticles were formulated using nanoprecipitation – solvent deposition technique (the single emulsion technique). The effect of several process parameters, that is, homogenization type (homogenizer or sonicator), speed of homogenization, dispersing agent characteristics, the quantity and ratio of phases, drug-polymer content and ratio and also temperature of quasi-emulsion in the time of preparation were considered on the size of the nanoformulations. Particle size and size distribution of nanoparticles were studied by applying laser diffraction particle size analyzer, and morphology of the nanoparticles was also inspected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All the prepared formulations using eudragit RS100 resulted in nano-range size particles with relative spherical smooth morphology and drug loading efficiency of nearly 100%. According to these findings, nanoprecipitation – solvent deposition technique was able to engineer diclofenac sodium –eudragit RS100 nanoparticles to reach target size that could undergo more studies for evaluation and comparison of the anti-inflammatory effect of drug in nanoparticles with classical dosage forms following its ocular administration. 

Key words: Nanoparticles, diclofenac sodium, eudragit RS100, particle size.