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Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Drug release into hydrogel-based subcutaneous surrogates studied by UV imaging
Fengbin Ye1, Susan Weng Larsen, Anan Yaghmur
1Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
|August 15, 2012
Summary
UV imaging effectively characterizes drug transport in hydrogel tissue mimics. This method monitors piroxicam release and distribution in real-time, aiding drug delivery system development.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Pharmaceutics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Drug absorption after subcutaneous administration depends on drug distribution between delivery vehicles and tissues.
- In vitro models mimicking native tissues are valuable for understanding drug delivery system performance.
- Hydrogel-based tissue surrogates offer a promising platform for such investigations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a UV imaging method for real-time characterization of piroxicam release and transport.
- To investigate piroxicam partitioning in hydrogel subcutaneous tissue mimics.
- To assess the influence of pH on drug distribution and diffusion.
Main Methods:
- Piroxicam partitioning from medium chain triglyceride (MCT) into agarose and F127 hydrogels was monitored.
- Drug concentration profiles within the gels were analyzed.
- UV imaging tracked piroxicam distribution in real-time after injection into hydrogels.
Main Results:
- Piroxicam diffusion in hydrogels was largely unaffected by pH changes (4.0-7.4).
- Oil-gel distribution coefficients significantly decreased at pH 7.4 compared to pH 4.0.
- UV imaging successfully visualized real-time piroxicam spatial distribution and release dynamics in hydrogels.
Conclusions:
- UV imaging is a powerful tool for characterizing hydrogel transport properties.
- The methodology enables real-time monitoring of drug concentration distribution in vitro.
- This technique supports the development and evaluation of subcutaneous drug delivery systems.
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