Polysaccharide film-coating process for freely swellable hydrogels

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Controlled drug release is crucial for therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance.
• Hydrogel-based systems offer biocompatibility and tunable release profiles.
• Preventing membrane integrity issues in drug delivery devices is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate an intramembrane freely swellable matrix device for controlled drug release.
• To investigate the influence of a calcium alginate membrane on drug release kinetics.
• To evaluate the potential for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel matrix loaded with diltiazem hydrochloride.
• Coating the PVA matrix with a calcium alginate membrane via ionotropic gelation.
• Characterization of membrane thickness and structure.
• In vitro drug release studies in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids.

Main Results:

• The fabricated device featured a void space between the PVA matrix and calcium alginate membrane.
• Membrane thickness increased with coating time, influencing drug release.
• Sustained and constant drug release rates were achieved after an initial burst phase.
• The device demonstrated pH-dependent drug release, with higher delivery in intestinal fluid.

Conclusions:

• The designed intramembrane freely swellable matrix device effectively controls drug release by maintaining membrane integrity.
• The calcium alginate membrane acts as a rate-controlling factor, enabling tunable drug delivery.
• The device shows promise for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine due to its pH-dependent release characteristics.