Extended release and enhanced bioavailability of moxifloxacin conjugated with hydrophilic cellulose ethers.

Macromolecular prodrugs (MPDs) of moxifloxacin were fabricated based on hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC). UV/Vis spectrophotometry was employed to determine covalently loaded drug content (DC) of each conjugate. The degree of substitution (DS) of moxifloxacin attained ranged from 0.27 to 0.38 (HPC) and 0.19 to 0.26 (HEC) per anhydroglucose unit (AGU), respectively. Transmission electron microscopic analyses showed that HPC-moxifloxacin conjugates self-assembled into nanowires of ∼ 30 nm diameters while HEC-moxifloxacin conjugates self-assembled into nanoparticles of 150-350 nm. In vitro drug release studies revealed that 15 and 49% moxifloxacin release occurred f…