Preparation, Swelling, and Drug Release Studies of Chitosan-based Hydrogels for Controlled Delivery of Buspirone Hydrochloride

Muhammad Suhail; Chih-Wun Fang; I-Hui Chiu; Hamid Ullah; I-Ling Lin; Ming-Jun Tsai; Pao-Chu Wu

doi:10.2174/0113892010267638231206164415

Preparation, Swelling, and Drug Release Studies of Chitosan-based Hydrogels for Controlled Delivery of Buspirone Hydrochloride

Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2024 Jan 8. doi: 10.2174/0113892010267638231206164415. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Muhammad Suhail¹, Chih-Wun Fang², I-Hui Chiu¹, Hamid Ullah¹, I-Ling Lin^{3

4}, Ming-Jun Tsai^{1

5

6

7}, Pao-Chu Wu^{1

8

9}

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
² Divison of Pharmacy, Zuoying Branch of Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung City 813, Taiwan.
³ Department of Medicine Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
⁵ School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Neurology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
⁷ Department of Neurology, An-Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan 709, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
⁹ Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.

PMID: 38204236
DOI: 10.2174/0113892010267638231206164415

Abstract

Background: Buspirone is used for the management of depression and anxiety disorders. Due to its short half-life and low bioavailability, it requires multiple daily doses and is associated with some side effects.

Aim: This study aimed to develop chitosan-based hydrogels as drug-controlled release carriers.

Objective: The objective of this study is to prepare chitosan-based hydrogels as controlled release carriers in order to overcome the side effects of buspirone HCl and improve patients' compliance and their life quality.

Methods: Polymer chitosan was polymerized with two monomers, acrylic acid and itaconic acid, to synthesize pH-sensitive hydrogel. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis were performed to confirm the structure formation and thermal stability. Water penetration capability and loading of the drug were performed by porosity and drug loading studies. The swelling and dissolution tests were performed to analyze the pH-sensitive nature of the developed hydrogels.

Results: FTIR, TGA, and DSC demonstrated that the chitosan-based hydrogels were successfully prepared. An increase in water penetration and drug loading into the hydrogel network was seen with the high incorporation of chitosan, acrylic acid, and itaconic acid. The swelling and dissolution studies revealed that prepared hydrogel offered the greatest swelling and drug release at a high pH of 7.4. The swelling and drug release from the hydrogel were affected by the concentrations of the incorporated contents. A controlled release of the drug was achieved by using chitosan-based hydrogel as a delivery carrier compared to commercial tablets of buspirone.

Conclusion: The results showed that the developed chitosan-based hydrogel can be considered one of the most suitable drug carrier systems for the controlled delivery of buspirone.

Keywords: Buspirone HCl; FTIR; dissolution.; hydrogels; porosity; swelling.