Preparation of interpenetrating networks from chitosan and poly(hydroxypropyl methacrylate) or p(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) for controlled release of doxorubicin and curcumin: Investigation of potential use in wound dressing.

Abstract

The IPNs hydrogel films based on chitosan (CS), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) were prepared, and their potential for drug delivery and wound dressing was evaluated. The characterizations of the IPNs were examined through swelling tests, FTIR, DSC, SEM, mechanical properties, and BET analyses. The percent swelling of the CS/p(HEMA)1 and CS/p(HPMA)1 were obtained as 240 % and 110 %, respectively. The release behavior of prepared hydrogel formulations was investigated in two different pH values for DOX and CUR at pH 5.5 and 7.4, respectively, at varying drug concentrations. In vitro, drug release profiles revealed a time-dependent release pattern, with a maximum release observed at 48 h for all formulations. Among the IPNs, CS/p(HEMA)1 formulation containing CS/HEMA in a 1:1 ratio showed the highest drug release rates of 76.0 % for doxorubicin and 75.5 % for curcumin. MTT assays revealed that the IPNs formulations exhibit enhanced interaction with drugs, leading to an improved drug release rate. A marked decrease in cell viability was observed as the concentration of both drugs increased for testing the ATCC-CRL 2451 leukemia cell line in the prepared formulations. These findings highlight the potential of these composite hydrogels as efficient drug delivery systems for wound dressing applications.