Authors: Tinovimba K. Nazare1, Tawanda L. Samupindi2
Affiliations: 1Pharmacy Department, Harare Institute of Technology, Harare, Zimbabwe
2Zimbabwe Pharmaceutical Students Association, Harare Institute of Technology Chapter.
Corresponding Author: Tinovimba K. Nazare
Contact: +263 786931447
Email: tinovimbanaz@gmail.com
Paediatric medication non-adherence resulting from the intense bitterness of ciprofloxacin remains a major contributor to treatment failure and antimicrobial resistance, particularly in resource-constrained settings where affordable, child-friendly formulations are scarce (WHO, 2025; Mennella et al., 2015). In Zimbabwe, imported taste-masked ciprofloxacin suspensions are prohibitively expensive, while advanced taste-masking technologies remain inaccessible to most local manufacturers.
This study developed a locally adaptable, low-cost paediatric ciprofloxacin dry powder for reconstitution using sodium alginate-HPMC ionic gelation. Polymer concentrations were optimized before preparing ciprofloxacin-loaded microcapsules, which were evaluated for encapsulation efficiency, in vitro taste masking, gastric drug release and accelerated stability.
The optimized formulation (2.0% sodium alginate, 0.5% HPMC, 0.1 M calcium chloride) produced spherical microcapsules with 83.9% yield and 68.7 ± 1.1% encapsulation efficiency. Drug release in simulated saliva after five minutes was 7.8 ± 1.1%, remaining below the reported bitterness threshold, while 92.3 ± 4.1% drug release occurred within 60 minutes in simulated gastric fluid, demonstrating preserved therapeutic availability. The dry powder maintained 96.8–98.2% drug content after four weeks under accelerated conditions. Estimated production cost was approximately US$4.00 per 100 mL bottle compared with US$30–50 for imported alternatives, potentially paving a path for local production and export prospects.
By integrating formulation optimization, comprehensive physicochemical evaluation, stability assessment and economic feasibility into a scalable platform, this research addresses critical gaps in Zimbabwean paediatric pharmaceutical manufacturing and demonstrates a sustainable pathway toward locally developed, affordable, patient-centred antibiotic formulations, a step towards strengthening the Zimbabwean Pharma ecosystem for resilience and sustainability.
Keywords: ciprofloxacin; ionic gelation; paediatric formulation; dry powder for reconstitution; taste masking; sodium alginate; HPMC; antimicrobial resistance; pharmaceutical sustainability; Zimbabwe.