Title:Fabrication and In vitro Evaluation of Carbopol/Polyvinyl Alcohol-based
pH-sensitive Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery
Volume: 29
Issue: 31
Author(s): Muhammad Suhail, I-Hui Chiu, Jia-Yu Liu, Hamid Ullah, I-Ling Lin, Muhammad Usman Minhas, Ming-Jun Tsai*Pao-Chu Wu*
Affiliation:
- School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Department of
Neurology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, An-Nan Hospital, China Medical
University, Tainan 709, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807,
Taiwan
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
Keywords:
pH-sensitive hydrogels, swelling, porosity, drug release, toxicity, diclofenac sodium.
Abstract:
Background: Diclofenac sodium has a short half-life (about 1.5 hours), requiring repeated administration,
and as a result, serious complications, such as GI bleeding, peptic ulcer, and kidney and liver dysfunction,
are generated. Hence, a sustained/controlled drug delivery system is needed to overcome the complications
caused by the administration of diclofenac sodium.
Aims: This study aimed to fabricate and evaluate carbopol/polyvinyl alcohol-based pH-sensitive hydrogels for
controlled drug delivery.
Objective: pH-sensitive carbopol/polyvinyl alcohol graft-poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels (Cp/PVA-g-PAa hydrogels)
were developed for the controlled delivery of diclofenac sodium.
Methods: The combination of carbopol/polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic acid, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate
was used as polymer, monomer, and cross-linker, respectively. The effects of the formulation’s composition
on porosity, swelling index, and release pattern of diclofenac sodium from the developed hydrogels were investigated.
Results: An increase in porosity and swelling was observed with the increasing amounts of carbopol and
acrylic acid, whereas polyvinyl alcohol showed the opposite effect. Due to the formation of a highly viscous
system, the drug release decreased with the increasing concentrations of carbopol and polyvinyl alcohol while
increased with increasing acrylic acid concentration. The pH-responsive properties of the fabricated hydrogels
were demonstrated by dynamic swelling and drug release studies at three different pH values. Higher dynamic
swelling and diclofenac sodium (model drug) release were found at high pH values compared to low pH values,
i.e., pH 7.4 > 4.6 > 1.2, respectively. Cytotoxicity studies reported no toxic effect of the prepared hydrogels,
thus indicating that the prepared hydrogels are safe to be used on clinical basis.
Conclusion: The prepared carbopol/polyvinyl alcohol crosslinked hydrogel can be used as a promising carrier
for the controlled release of drugs.
