Table I.

Effect of Process Variables on the Properties of Fluconazole-Loaded Ethyl Cellulose Microspheres

Processing variables	%Yield	Entrapment efficiencya (%)	Mean size (μm)	t 50% value (h) in PBS solution	Korsmeyer–Peppas model
					r 2	k	n
EC (% w/v)
1.0	88.43	27.80 ± 3.64	321.68	0.93 ± 0.05	0.9498	0.5179	0.3019
1.5	91.04	43.25 ± 2.91	328.00	2.83 ± 0.25	0.9945	0.3619	0.3121
2.0	96.15	72.79 ± 2.11	331.62	7.90 ± 0.10	0.9754	0.2184	0.3194
Span 80 (% w/v)
0.0	92.00	26.27 ± 4.37	361.01	1.10 ± 0.26	0.9157	0.4727	0.4022
0.5	96.15	72.79 ± 2.11	331.62	7.90 ± 0.10	0.9754	0.2184	0.3194
1.5	95.00	28.07 ± 0.38	–	2.13 ± 0.21	0.9914	0.3418	0.4505
Stirring speed (rpm)
700	96.15	72.79 ± 2.11	331.62	7.90 ± 0.10	0.9754	0.2184	0.3194
1,000	85.43	49.80 ± 5.57	248.11	6.33 ± 0.15	0.9262	0.2091	0.4893
1,300	78.60	31.04 ± 1.85	228.56	2.70 ± 0.40	0.8189	0.3545	0.5004
Internal aqueous phase volume (ml)
4	98.33	28.17 ± 4.10	329.36	8.57 ± 0.12	0.9637	0.1503	0.4986
8	96.15	72.79 ± 2.11	331.62	7.90 ± 0.10	0.9754	0.2184	0.3194
12	81.25	77.26 ± 2.08	333.02	6.37 ± 0.51	0.9802	0.2797	0.2989
Tween 80 (% w/v)
0.3	78.00	74.39 ± 4.32	351.84	4.30 ± 0.10	0.9782	0.3419	0.2818
0.6	81.25	77.26 ± 2.08	333.02	6.37 ± 0.51	0.9802	0.2797	0.2989
1.0	93.00	69.68 ± 1.63	302.89	8.43 ± 0.25	0.9862	0.1591	0.4824
External aqueous phase volume (ml)
60	80.00	80.03 ± 1.63	287.62	4.87 ± 0.15	0.9761	0.3206	0.2847
100	81.25	77.26 ± 2.08	333.02	6.37 ± 0.51	0.9802	0.2797	0.2989
140	93.00	55.55 ± 4.30	592.03	8.67 ± 0.21	0.9778	0.2545	0.2817

PBS phosphate buffered saline, EC ethyl cellulose

^aData are the mean ± SD, n = 3