Design and Development of Sustained Release Vildagliptin-Loaded Silica Nanoparticles for Enhancing Oral Bioavailability

The present work involved design, optimization, and development of vildagliptin (VLG)-loaded silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) for sustained drug delivery. The SiNPs were prepared by the sol-gel method. The vildagliptin was loaded in the synthesized silica nanoparticles. A 3(2) (three level-two factors) response surface methodology was used to optimize and detect the effects of independent variables such as amount of silica (X-1) and amount of vildagliptin (X-2) on dependent variables such as % EE (Y-1) and % DR (X-2). The prepared VLG-SiNPs were characterized by employing entrapment efficiency (EE), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and drug release (DR). For all 13 experiments, % EE were in the ranges of 63.93-84.93% and % DR was in the ranges of 82.11-93 % over the 12-h duration, respectively. The vildagliptin-loaded silica nanoparticles (VLG-SiNPs) were successfully prepared. The formulation reduced the frequent dosing problem and improved the oral bioavailability of vildagliptin.