Abstract
Graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AAm) onto chitosan (CS) was carried out using gamma irradiation. Their swelling behavior was investigated. The hydrogels before and after alkaline hydrolysis were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopic studies. The hydrogels show ampholytic and reversible pH-responsiveness characteristics. The swelling variations were explained according to swelling theory based on the hydrogel chemical structure. The ability of the prepared copolymer to be used as gastric antibiotic delivery system was estimated using amoxicillin trihydrate as a model drug. Release of amoxicillin trihydrate from these investigated hydrogels was studied. For non-ionized drugs, such as amoxicilin trihydrate, the electrostatic polymer/ polymer interactions take place between the cationic groups from CS and the anionic ones from PAA resulting in entrapping the drug into the mesh space of the hydrogel. The non-ionized amoxicillin release was controlled by the swelling/eroding ratio.