Abstract

Albumin and gelatin have been widely used alone and in combination with other colloids as drug carriers but so far, their combination with each other has not been reported. The present study reports a novel attempt to prepare complex coacervates of albumin and gelatin as carriers for the anticancer drug, 5- Fluorouracil (5 FU). Formaldehyde cross linked albumin-gelatin complex coacervates, prepared by the complex coacervation- phase separation method, were found to be nearly spherical and had 92.23±2.16% drug entrapment efficiency. These microacervates were evaluated for drug leaching, in vitro biodegradability and in vivo organ distribution studies. The microcoacervates were found to be more susceptible to pancreatin as compared to pepsin and exhibited diffusion controlled drug leaching in non sink, static conditions. In vivo organ distribution studies of the microcoacervates in healthy rats showed a statistically significant distribution of 5-FU in liver and kidneys (P<0.01) as compared to the free drug solution, indicating preferential uptake by the organs of the RES. Prolonged 5 FU levels in liver, lungs and kidneys also indicated sustained release of the drug from the microcoacervates.