FORMULATION AND IN VITRO EVALUATION OF METFORMIN-LOADED NANOPARTICLES FOR ENHANCED ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY.

Metformin-loaded nanoparticles were prepared using the solvent evaporation technique, with optimization of parameters such as polymer concentration, drug-to-polymer ratio and stirring speed. Characterization involved dynamic light scattering (DLS) for particle size and polydispersity index, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology and UV-Vis spectroscopy for drug encapsulation efficiency. In vitro drug release studies were conducted using dialysis membranes to assess the release profile and kinetics. Stability studies under accelerated conditions evaluated changes in particle size, zeta potential, and drug content. The optimized nanoparticles exhibited a particle size of 150 ± 5 nm, polydispersity index of 0.12 ± 0.01, encapsulation efficiency of 82.4 ± 2.5% and zeta potential of -25 ± 3 mV. In vitro drug release demonstrated a sustained release profile, with 92 ± 4% of metformin released over 12 hours, following the Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model. Stability studies confirmed the formulation’s robustness, showing minimal changes in critical parameters over three months of accelerated storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]