Freeze-dried nanocomposite gel beads for oral drug delivery. In vitro simulation of gastro-intestinal drug release

We investigated entrapment efficiency, swelling and drug release from freeze-dried gel beads prepared with Gellan gum and a synthetic clay, Laponite. Polymeric beads loaded with two model molecules having different molecular weights were prepared and subjected to in vitro release studies in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The experimental observations confirm that laponite may be an effective additive for fabricating sustained drug delivery systems from gellan gum by means of ionotropic gelation and freeze-drying.