Release of antithrombotic drugs from alginate gel beads

The aim of the present work was to evaluate alginate hydrogels in the form of spherical beads as carrier for antithrombotic drugs for future use in artificial grafts. The ionotropic gelation technique was employed to prepare beads from the L. hyperborea stipe of alginate with two different alginate concentrations and two different guluronic to manuronic acid ratios. The beads were loaded, via soaking, with three different types of low molecular weight model molecules representing drugs with antithrombotic action and their release characteristics were subsequently evaluated. The entire release process of the negatively charged model drugs under study (Salicylic acid and Hirudin), was found to be governed by diffusion, while additional electrostatic interactions between drug molecule and alginate matrix was indicated to influence the release rate of the analyzed positively charged drug molecule (Dipyridamole). It was found that the alginate hydrogel matrix imposed a decrease of the drug diffusion rate on the molecules under study as compared to the corresponding diffusion rates in water. All diffusion coefficients decreased slightly with increasing concentration of alginate and with increasing guluronic to manuronic acid ratio. The results show on the potential use of alginate gel beads when developing vehicles for release of low molecular weight antithrombotic drugs.