Calcium‐carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel beads for protein drug delivery system

Abstract

In this study, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) hydrogel beads were prepared by crosslinking with Ca 2þ . The pH-sensitive characteristics of the beads were investigated by simulating gastrointestinal pH conditions. As a potential protein drug delivery system, the beads were loaded with a model protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA). To improve the entrapment efficiency of BSA, the beads were further coated with a chitosan/CMC polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membrane by extruding a CMC/BSA solution into a CaCl 2 /chitosan gelation medium. Finally, the release studies of BSA-loaded beads were conducted. We found that, the maximum swelling ratios of the beads at pH 7.4 (17-21) were much higher than those at pH 1.2 (2-2.5). Higher entrapment efficiency (73.2%) was achieved in the chitosan-coated calcium-CMC beads, compared with that (44.4%) in the bare calcium-CMC beads. The PEC membrane limited the BSA release, while the final disintegration of beads at pH 7.4 still leaded to a full BSA release. Therefore, the chitosan-coated calcium-CMC hydrogel beads with higher entrapment efficiency and proper protein release properties were a promising protein drug carrier for the site-specific release in the intestine.

A novel pH sensitive N‐succinyl chitosan/alginate hydrogel bead for nifedipine delivery

“…were used to blend with alginate to prepare Ca 2+ -crosslinked hydrogel beads which generally exhibited pH-sensitive and ionic-sensitive swelling and drug release properties [11][12][13]. All these advantages endowed these materials with huge potential for the application as site-specific or controlled-release drug delivery systems.…”

Effect of Chemical Crosslinking on Properties of Polymer Microbeads: A Review

“…However, each type of solid-support has own merits and demerits. Over the last two decades, cross-linked polymers are potentially used in different fields such as synthesis [2], extraction [3], tissue engineering [4], drug delivery [5], pharmaceutical [6], and in biomedical applications [7,8] because polymer properties can be significantly improved by cross-linking [9,10]. The properties such as mechanical strength, thermostability, glass transition temperature, swelling, permeability, rigidity, and stiffness can be improved to a remarkable extent [11].…”

Preparation, evaluation, and in vitro release study of O‐carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles loaded with gentamicin and salicylic acid

“…15,16 O-Carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC) is a water soluble CS derivative, which has many outstanding properties including nontoxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, and improvement of the retention time and antifungal bioactivity. 17,18 Furthermore, the O-CMC nanoparticles could be synthesized via the crosslinking method between carboxyl (COOH) of O-CMC and calcium ion in neutral or weakly basic pH range, without the need of any acidic solution.…”