Nano and micro technology applied for the treatment of Chagas disease

BARRERA, M.G.; LEONARDI, D.; ECHENIQUE, C.G.; PICCIRILLI, G.N.; SALOMÓN, C.J.; LAMAS, M.C.

Cordoba

Congreso; I Reunión internacional de Ciencias Farmacéuticas (Ricifa); 2010

Universidades Nacionales de Córdoba y Rosario

Chagas´s disease is a highly prevalent infection in the American Continent. The disease affects nearly 20 million people. Currently, there is no effective alternative for chronic cases, no vaccine, and no preventive treatment. In the acute, recent or congenital disease, the most important drugs available to control the disease are: nifurtimox and benznidazole (BZL) a nitroimidazole derivative. The only trypanocidal chemotherapies available for Chagas´s disease are solid dosage forms, but they have the disadvantages associated with oral absorption of poorly soluble drugs. The loading of BZL into biodegradable polymeric microparticles provides an attractive alternative to improve the drug solubility and bioavailability. Microparticles were prepared with chitosan (CH) by both ionotropic gelation, and a liquid-liquid phase separation with sodium lauryl sulphate and Na(OH), using two different methodologies: dripping and spraying. Then, physical chemical parameters such as yield, encapsulation efficacy (EE), size and morphology of the microparticles were evaluated. Also it was prepared pharmaceutical dosage forms with the solid systems (tablets) and they were characterized.