Volume : 13, Issue : 10, October – 2026

Title:

FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DOXORUBICIN HCL-LOADED MICROSPHERES FOR CONTROLLED AND TARGETED ANTICANCER DRUG DELIVERY

Authors :

Pravat Ranjan Guru , Bijayalaxmi Barik, Shalini Chaudhury, Simalin Biswal, Satya Ranjan Dalai

Abstract :

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and conventional chemotherapy is often associated with severe systemic toxicity, poor selectivity, and frequent dosing due to the rapid elimination of anticancer drugs. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Doxorubicin HCl), a widely used anthracycline antibiotic, exhibits potent antitumor activity but is limited by dose-dependent adverse effects, particularly cardiotoxicity. The present study aimed to formulate and characterize Doxorubicin HCl-loaded microspheres for controlled and targeted anticancer drug delivery, with the objective of achieving sustained drug release, enhancing therapeutic efficacy, and minimizing systemic side effects. Doxorubicin HCl-loaded microspheres were prepared using a suitable polymeric carrier by an appropriate microencapsulation technique. The prepared formulations were evaluated for pre-formulation and post-formulation characteristics. Pre-compression parameters, including bulk density, tapped density, angle of repose, Carr’s compressibility index, and Hausner’s ratio, demonstrated satisfactory flow properties and were found to be within the acceptable limits prescribed by the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP). Post-formulation characterization included evaluation of particle size, surface morphology, percentage yield, drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, swelling behaviour, and in vitro drug release. The optimized microsphere formulation exhibited uniform particle size distribution, good spherical morphology, high encapsulation efficiency, satisfactory production yield, and excellent drug-loading capacity. Drug–excipient compatibility studies using suitable analytical techniques confirmed the absence of significant physicochemical interactions between Doxorubicin HCl and the selected polymers, indicating formulation stability. The in vitro drug release studies demonstrated a controlled and sustained release profile over an extended period, indicating the suitability of the microspheres as an effective controlled-release delivery system. The release kinetics suggested that drug release followed an appropriate kinetic model, confirming the controlled-release behaviour of the optimized formulation.
Keywords: Doxorubicin HCl, Microspheres, Controlled Drug Delivery

Cite This Article:

Please cite this article in press Pravat Ranjan Guru et al., Formulation And Characterization Of Doxorubicin Hcl-Loaded Microspheres For Controlled And Targeted Anticancer Drug Delivery.,. Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(10)..

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