Table 2.

Effect of various processing parameters on Entrapment Efficiency (E.E.) and buoyancy^*.

Optimization parameters	Mean Particle size (µm)	E.E. (%w/w)	% Process Yield	Drug loading (%w/w)	Buoyancy (%) after 12 hrs	Inference (Based on E.E. (%w/w) and% buoyancy)
A) Drug: polymer ratio
1:1 (MB1)	286.14±4.61	44.16±4.32	66.36±4.78	25.21±2.45	34.75±4.62	Very low
1:2 (MB2)	328.25±6.83	66.22±3.12	74.13±3.65	24.64±2.12	46.34±2.95	Very low
1:3 (MB3)	436.33±8.64	70.07±3.45	80.80±3.85	19.01±2.48	73.66±3.88	Low
1:4 (MB4)#	575.21±6.22	80.40±1.75	90.42±1.25	16.13±1.18	87.43±1.61	High
1:5 (MB5)	594.79±7.46	76.03±3.45	86.11±3.12	13.74±2.02	84.25±3.20	Good
B) Stirring speed (rpm)
250 (MBS1)	732.62±8.57	72.73±3.62	81.98±3.75	15.87±1.75	82.54±3.89	Low
500 (MBS2)#	575.21±6.22	80.40±1.75	90.42±1.25	16.13±1.18	87.43±1.61	High
750 (MBS3)	189.74±5.57	70.04±5.02	78.95±4.78	15.71±1.66	74.43±3.46	Low
C) Emulsifier conc. (%v/v)
0.2 (MBE1)#	575.21±6.22	80.40±1.75	90.42±1.25	16.13±1.18	87.43±1.61	High
0.3 (MBE2)	454.45±8.54	74.91±3.69	85.60±3.45	15.69±1.13	79.23±3.48	Low
0.4 (MBE3)	387.19±5.62	73.10±3.87	82.41±4.12	15.79±1.77	77.18±2.89	Low
D) Volume of processing Medium (ml)
150 (MBV1)	752.16±7.35	76.22±2.94	86.03±2.82	15.81±1.23	84.14±3.51	Good
200 (MBV2)#	575.21±6.22	80.40±1.75	90.42±1.25	16.13±1.18	87.43±1.61	High
250 (MBV3)	412.89±4.87	71.11±2.68	79.95±3.06	16.30±1.31	78.12±2.91	Low
E) Deaggregating agent (%w/w)
5 (MBD1)	678.15±7.23	68.74±2.54	75.02±2.55	17.50±1.45	76.16±2.16	Low
10 (MBD2)#	612.23±5.56	80.34±1.34	90.14±1.19	16.15±1.07	87.54±1.41	High
15 (MBD3)	594.44±6.74	80.50±2.31	90.11±2.24	15.59±1.23	87.12±1.98	High

^*all experiments were performed in triplicate (n=3),

^#optimized formulation