Synthesis and Characterization of Psyllium Polysaccharide-Poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate)-Poly(acrylamide) Hydrogels for Use in Sustained Drug Delivery Applications

Psyllium has been explored for various food and pharmaceutical applications. Recently, its therapeutic action against cancer has been reported. Hence, herein in this research it has been modified to develop hydrogels through graft copolymerization reaction for use as sustained drug delivery carriers for anti-cancer drug "5-fluorouracil" (FU) to enhance the therapeutic potential. Synthesis of hydrogels was carried out by grafting of poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) and poly(acrylamide) onto psyllium in the presence of crosslinker. Polymers were characterized by cryo-SEM, AFM, XRD, C-13-NMR, and TGA techniques, beside evaluation of swelling, drug release, blood compatibility, mucoadhesion, antioxidant properties and gel strength of the hydrogels. The porous network structure with rough surface was observed in cryo-SEM and AFM images of the samples. Release of FU from psy-cl-poly(HPMA-co-AAm) polymer occurred with non-Fickian diffusion in sustained manner. These hydrogels were mucoadhesive (work of adhesion = 8.45 +/- 0.32 N mm), non-haemolytic (haemolytic index = 1.05 +/- 0.07%), and antioxidant (with 19.12 +/- 0.14% inhibition in DPPH assay) in nature, therefore they could be used as slow drug delivery carriers for ailments associated GIT system.