Interpenetrating biopolymer network based hydrogels for an effective drug delivery system

Discovery of hydrogels has resulted in developing competent controlled-release drug delivery systems. Present study describes the synthesis and characterization of novel pH responsive hydrogels of chitosan, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose (HEC) and polyol prepared by physical blending of the three components in different ratios. Vegetable oil derived polyol seems to act as a filler and cross linking agent. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Equilibrium swelling behavior of hydrogels in water and different buffers with pH values (2, 4, 7.3, and 8) indicated the sustained expansion of the films in different pH solutions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.