Abstract

PHARMACEUTICALS APPLICATIONS OF CHITOSAN HYDROGEL BEADS

Anuja Agarwal* and Manjusha Rani

Abstract

The paper addresses development of pH sensitive interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) beads composed of chitosan-mono sodium glutamate cross linked with glutaraldehyde and their use for controlled drug release. The beads were characterized by SEM to understand the surface morphology and internal structure. The swelling behavior of the beads at different time intervals was monitored in solutions of pH 2.0 and pH 7.4. The release experiments were performed in solutions of pH 2.0 and pH 7.4 at 37oC using salicylic acid (SA) as a model drug. The swelling behavior and release of drug were observed to be dependent on pH, degree of cross linking and their composition. The results indicate that the newly constructed cross linked IPN beads of chitosan- mono sodium glutamate might be useful as a vehicle for controlled release of drug. The kinetics of drug release from beads were best fitted by Higuchi’s model in which release rate is largely were best fitted by Higuchi’s model in which release rate is largely governed by rate of diffusion through the matrix.

Keywords: salicylic acid, IPN, glutaraldehyde.