The present study deals with the formulation and evaluation of mefloquine hydrochloride nanoparticles. Mefloquine is a blood schizonticidal quinoline compound, which is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate acute malarial infections caused by mefloquine-susceptible multi-resistant strains of P. falciparum and P. vivax. The purpose of the present work is to minimize the dosing frequency, taste masking toxicity and to improve the therapeutic efficacy by formulating mefloquine HCl nanoparticles. Mefloquine nanoparticles were formulated by emulsion diffusion method using polymer poly(ε-caprolactone) with six different formulations. Nanoparticles were characterized by determining its particle size, polydispersity index, drug entrapment efficiency, drug content, particle morphological character and drug release. The particle size ranged between 100 nm to 240 nm. Drug entrapment efficacy was >95%. The in-vitro release of nanoparticles were carried out which exhibited a sustained release of mefloquine HCl from nanoparticles up to 24 hrs. The results showed that nanoparticles can be a promising drug delivery system for sustained release of mefloquine HCl.
Taste masking of ofloxacin and formation of interpenetrating polymer network beads for sustained release
