ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some researches and applications of polysaccharides that are being used to microencapsulate drugs. Microencapsulation technology finds its application in several industries, including pharmaceuticals for modified and controlled release of drugs. The controlled-release phenomenon has been documented for a vast array of drugs ranging from vasodilators, antihypertensives, bronchodilators to antibiotics. The choice of method to encapsulate depends on the core material properties, especially solubility, the type of particle desired for protection and the controlled release, finality and the circumstances involved on manufacturing the product. Gum Arabic (GA) is a widely used polysaccharide in microencapsulation procedures, film formation and emulsion stabilization. GA has good properties that allow its use in processes for encapsulation of lipids and volatile substances. Carrageenans are highly flexible molecules which, even at higher concentrations, organize into double-helical structures. Starch is a polysaccharide that consists of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds.
