The preparation of various shapes and porosities of hydroxyethyl starch/p(HEMA-co-NVP) IPN hydrogels as programmable carrier for drug delivery

Abstract

This study used biocompatible and biodegradable hydroxyethyl starch (HES), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N-vinyle-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) monomers for hydrogel synthesis with the aim of use as a drug carrier system. As a result of the synthesis reactions using the redox polymerization technique, hydrogels were produced in both film and cylindrical form. The morphological characterization and structural characterization of hydrogels were performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), respectively. In addition, swelling characterizations of hydrogels to be used for drug release in various media were examined. The release properties of sodium diclofenac (NaDc) and trimethoprim (TMP) loaded into hydrogels produced in order to use as drug carrier material for controlled drug release were examined in media with pH = 1.2 and 7. It was determined that the hydrogels performed controlled release according to the type of drug and the pH values of the medium. Drug release mechanisms deviated from Fickian mode according to determined drug release rate constants, diffusion exponent (n) and regression values at different pH values. In addition, antibacterial properties of drug-loaded hydrogels against B. subtilus, S. aureus and E. coli were investigated.