Synthesis and characterization of methacrylic acid based amphoteric hydrogels: use as a dual drug delivery system

Abstract

In this study, methacrylic acid-based containing both anionic and cationic groups in its structure p(Methacrylic acid-co-(3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride) (p(MAA-co-APTMACl)) and p(Methacrylic acid-co-(2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl)trimethylammonium chloride) (p(MAA-AETAC)) hydrogels were synthesized by redox polymerization technique. The morphology, chemical structure and thermal properties of the synthesized hydrogels were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, and TGA. The swelling characterizations of the synthesized MAA-based hydrogels were carried out in various biological environments. Usability of amphoteric hydrogels containing anionic and cationic groups in their structures as a drug carrier cargo material were investigated for the treatment of two different diseases. For this, two of the selected model drugs were loaded simultaneously on hydrogels and their release properties were examined. The drug release mechanisms were investigated according to the Korsmeyer–Peppas model. Rhodamin 6G and ceftriaxone sodium were loaded to p(MAA-co-APTMACl) hydrogel for dual drug release. In addition, Rhodamin 6G and sulfadiazine were loaded simultaneously on the p(MAA-co-AETAC) hydrogel. According to the release mechanism results obtained for p(MAA-co-AETAC) hydrogels, it was determined that it showed a super-state diffusion mechanism. In addition, antibacterial activities of p(MAA-co-APTMACl) and p(MAA-co-AETAC) hydrogels against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa) and gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus Aureus and Bacillus Subtilis) were investigated.