Abstract
The goal of this research is to develop a composite hydrogel system for sustained release of therapeutic agents. The hybrid hydrogels were prepared by radiation crosslinking on aqueous solution of Chitosan (CS)/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) with different loads of CaCO3 in the presence of hydrocortisone acetate (HCA), an anti-inflammatory drugs. Physical characteristics of CS/NVP/CaCO3 were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectrophotometery (IR). The porous structure of resulted hydrogel was confirmed by SEM micrographs. The effect of doses and calcium carbonate amount on the swelling of the hydrogels was investigated. The ability of the prepared CS/NVP/CaCO3-based hybrid hydrogels to be used as drug carriers for anti-inflammatory-specific drug delivery system was estimated using HCA as a model drug. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1176-1183, 2014. (c) 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers