ABSTRACT:The purpose of this research is to determine several characteristics of chitosan lactate in tablet form such as dimensional changes, gel evolution, swelling (liquid uptake), and erosion using an image analysis method. The examination of these characteristics will be helpful in the design of oral drug delivery systems with this polymer. It has been demonstrated that image analysis is a valuable technique, allowing the study of quantitative measurements of dimensional and core changes and gel evolution. The dimensional expansion changes of the chitosan lactate tablets were greater in water, and the crushing strength and the stirring effect affected these attributes to a limited extent. The fastest and greatest liquid uptake was observed in water, whereas the greatest erosion was observed in HCl. The thickness of the gel layer increased considerably with time up to the eighth hour, indicating the formation and development of a thick and durable gel, particularly in water. This is an essential characteristic for potential sustained drug release delivery. Consequently, this polymer appears to be a versatile material and a promising vehicle for the

ABSTRACT:The aim of this investigation was to study and estimate the dimensional changes, gel evolution, swelling, and erosion of chitosan lactate mixture tablets with Polyox or Ethocel, in distilled water and 0.1 N hydrochloric acid (HCI) solution, using an image analysis method. This method permits the accurate measurement and evaluation of dimensional changes, core changes, and gel growth. All tablets displayed greater dimensional expansion in water than in HCI.