Composite films of poly(vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-bacterial cellulose for drug controlled release.

Mono and multilayer composite films of poly(vinyl alcohol)-chitosan-bacterial cellulose (PVA/chitosan/BC) have been prepared to achieve controlled release of ibuprofen sodium salt (IbuNa) as model drug. The composite films have been characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Equilibrium swelling was measured in water at two different pH values and in vitro release of IbuNa in pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 media was studied. The release experiments revealed that drug release is pH sensitive. The release kinetics of IbuNa could be described by the Fickian model of diffusion with a good agreement. The IbuNa release rate was decreasing for all the films as the BC concentration was increased in the films composition, the decrease being higher for the multilayer films.