Temperature-sensitive Ternary Interpenetrating Polymeric Networks for Potential Gastrointestinal Drug Release

Interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) structures have been studied extensively as drug carriers to enhance the required therapeutic effect. In this study, IPNs were prepared in the form of cylindrical by using chitosan known to be biocompatible with the body, poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) which has temperature-sensitive nature, and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and glutaraldehyde (GA) were selected as crosslinkers to clamp polymer chains. GA were used in different concentration to control the network porous of the IPNs. Dynamic swelling studies were carried out at pH 1.1 and pH 7.4. Pulsatile swelling studies were performed on all IPN hydrogels to determine to what extent the hydrogels would respond to changes in environmental pH and temperature and how fast that response would be. Amoxicillin was loaded into the hydrogels, and released into buffered solutions as a function of pulsatile changes in temperature and pH. Amoxicillin was loaded into the hydrogels, and released into buffered solutions as a function of pulsatile changes in temperature and pH. The final percentage of amoxicillin released is noted to decrease as the content of GA in the hydrogel increases. Data clearly demonstrate that the use of thermosensitive IPN hydrogels can increase the release of drug molecules from hydrophilic IPNs based on PNIPAM. It can be said from these values that IPNs are intelligent hydrogels and can be thought of as potential devices for pH- and temperature- stimulated sustained delivery of drugs into physiological solutions or for other biomedical applications.