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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Research Article
Development and in vivo performance of floating microspheres of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride for gastric ulcer management
Srinath Balkundhi, Momin Imran Moinahemadh, Tufail Dana Shakeel Ahmad, Mohammad Muztaba, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Suryanarayan Dash, Nilam U. Metkari, Sakshi Vijay Deshmukh
Year : 2026 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 274-287
Received on: 03/06/2026
Revised on: 23/07/2026
Accepted on: 23/08/2026
Published on: 30/09/2026
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Srinath Balkundhi, Momin Imran Moinahemadh, Tufail Dana Shakeel Ahmad, Mohammad Muztaba, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Suryanarayan Dash, Nilam U. Metkari, Sakshi Vijay Deshmukh( 2026).
Development and in vivo performance of floating microspheres of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride for gastric ulcer management
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 11( 5), 274-287.
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Abstract
The present study focuses on the development and evaluation of floating microspheres of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride designed to enhance gastric residence time and improve therapeutic efficacy in the management of gastric ulcers. Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic, demonstrates potent activity against Helicobacter pylori, a primary etiological agent in ulcer pathogenesis. However, its short gastric residence time and limited local drug concentration reduce clinical effectiveness. To overcome these limitations, floating microspheres were prepared using ethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) by the solvent evaporation technique. The formulated microspheres exhibited high entrapment efficiency (75–90%), minimal floating lag time (<3 minutes), and prolonged buoyancy exceeding 12 hours. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated an initial burst followed by sustained release for up to 12 hours, indicative of diffusion-controlled kinetics. In vivo studies in rats confirmed significantly enhanced gastric retention, reduced ulcer index, and superior mucosal regeneration compared to conventional formulations. Among the tested batches, formulation F3 exhibited optimal characteristics with the highest drug entrapment, prolonged buoyancy, and the greatest ulcer inhibition. These findings establish ciprofloxacin-loaded floating microspheres as an efficient gastro-retentive system capable of maintaining local drug availability, ensuring effective H. pylori eradication, and promoting mucosal healing. The system thus offers a promising approach for sustained management of gastric ulcers and improved patient compliance. Future investigations should focus on optimizing large-scale production, assessing long-term stability, and conducting clinical evaluations to establish their applicability in human gastric ulcer therapy.
Keywords
Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, Floating microspheres, Gastro-retentive drug delivery, Helicobacter pylori.
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© The Author(s) 2026. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
