DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF pH – RESPONSIVE CMTKG/PAM/PEG HYDROGEL FOR ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF ETOPHYLLINE

Abstract

The present research aims to create a pH-responsive hydrogel based on carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG), polyacrylamide (PAM), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the regulated delivery of etophylline using the free radical mechanism. To achieve the expected characteristics of the hydrogels, the formulation was customised by varying the quantity of the biopolymer, initiator, and crosslinker. The consequence of these changes on the swelling ratio was also examined. Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Thermogravimetry Analysis (TGA) were used to analyse the produced hydrogel. Studies on drug release and swelling were carried out at pH 1.2 and 7.4 to examine the hydrogel’s sensitivity to pH. Results of swelling and drug release show that increased swelling and drug release were seen at pH 7.4 in contrast to pH 1.2, which suggests that the formed polymeric network behaves differently depending on the pH. The regulated release profile of etophylline was validated by drug release kinetics, with the best-fitting model being the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with Fickian diffusion serving as the drug release mechanism at pH 1.2 and non-fickian diffusion at pH 7.4. So, CMTKG/PAM/PEG hydrogel can be used as a potentially effective material for the regulated pH-dependent release of etophylline.