Abstract
This article is aimed to discuss the modification of guar gum through microwave irradiation by varying the time of irradiation. The characterization of the modified products was carried out using FTIR spectroscopic analysis. The FT-IR spectrum of the pure guar gum (GG) sample showed a broad peak at 3298cm−1 while the modified GG sample displayed a peak at 1541cm−1 which was absent in the crude sample. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the increase in crystallinity due to grafting of the sample with polyacrylamide (GG-g-PAM). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that granular form of guar gum was changed into fibrillar structure after grafting. Thermo-gravimetric analysis of the modified samples was also carried out and discussed. The role of guar gum as a matrix for controlled release of drug triamcinolone was evaluated. The GG-acrylamide grafted samples presented a correlation between drug release and time of microwave exposure. The results revealed that such modified product has potential applications in colonic drug delivery system.