No abstract

Nanocomposite hydrogels are interesting for biomedical applications due to their bio compatibility and good water sorption diffusion properties. The pH sensitive interpenetrating polymer network based nanocomposite hydrogels was prepared from montmorillonite nanoclays by free radical polymerization and solvent sorption method was used for drug loading. Drug used was captopril an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Interactions and thermal stabilities were studied using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimerty, thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology of the nanocomposite hydrogels was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), swelling study and per cent drug loading reveals the formation of compatible nanocomposite hydrogels. In vitro drug release in the pH of 1.2 and 7.4 fitted with kinetic equation models. This shows that the swelling ratios of the nanocomposite hydrogels has been influenced by the pH of the external media and also increased with an increasing order of clay addition, Drug loading of the gels increased with an increasing concentration of captopril. The fabricated formulation shows targeted release of the drug in intestine (pH 7.4).