The objective of present work was to prepare microspheres of montelukast sodium using a natural polymer- chitosan by spray drying method by using glutaraldehyde as a cross linking agent. The microspheres were characterized for size, shape, dissolution, swelling and mucoadhesion. It was observed that, all microspheres were spherical in shape with narrow size distribution. Microspheres had mean particle size of 7-12 μm, with % encapsulation efficiency of 78-86%. The % yield was 32-49% and drug load was 48-53%. With the increase in proportion of chitosan in formulation mucoadhesive strength was increase and also increased in particle size of microspheres. As the drug:polymer ratio increase drug loading was increase and % encapsulation efficiency was also increase.
Keywords: Chitosan; gluteraldehyde; microspheres; montelukast sodium; mucosdhesion; spray dryer.