SINOPSIS

Clinoptilolite is a natural zeolite that found many applications in industries and medicine due to its high surface area/volume ratio. Metronidazole is an acidic drug that is currently used as an antimicrobial and antiparasitic drug, which induces gastric disturbances due to gastric mucosal irritation. In the present work, adsorption and desorption of metronidazole on Iranian clinoptilolite micronized particles were studied in acidic and relatively alkaline pH. The effect of the particle size of clinoptilolite was also investigated in relation to adsorption and desorption of metronidazole. The specific surfaces, particle sizes, and zeta potentials of clinoptilolite particles were also determined. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphology and crystallinity of clinoptilolite particles. The results showed that adsorption and desorption of metronidazole on clinoptilolite are particle-size and pH dependent. The present work proposes clinoptilolite as an inexpensive, efficient, and non-toxic naturally available microporous material for metronidazole oral delivery.