SYNTHESIS AND IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE-GRAFT-POLY (ACRYLIC ACID/2-ACRYLAMIDO-2-METHYL-1-PROPANESULFONIC ACID) POLYMERIC NETWORK FOR CONTROLLED RELEASE OF CAPTOPRIL.

A super-absorbent hydrogel was developed by crosslinking of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and acrylic acid with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) for controlled release drug delivery of captopril, a well known antihypertensive drug. Acrylic acid and AMPS were polymerized and crosslinked with HPMC by free radical polymerization, a widely used chemical crosslinking method. N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and potassium persulfate (KPS) were added as cross-linker and initiator, respectively. The hydrogel formulation was loaded with captopril (as model drug). The concentration of captopril was monitored at 205 nm using UV spectrophotometer. Equilibrium swelling ratio was determined at pH 2, 4.5 and 7.4 to evaluate the pH responsiveness of the formed hydrogel. The super-absorbent hydrogels were evaluated by FTIR, SEM, XRD, and thermal analysis (DSC and TGA). The formation of new copolymeric network was determined by FTIR, XRD, TGA and DSC analysis. The hydrogel formulations with acrylic acid and AMPS ratio of 4: 1 and lower amounts of crosslinker had shown maximum swelling. Moreover, higher release rate of captopril was observed at pH 7.4 than at pH 2, because of more swelling capacity of copolymer with increasing pH of the aqueous medium. The present research work confirms the development of a stable hydrogel comprising of HPMC with acrylic acid and AMPS. The prepared hydrogels exhibited pH sensitive behav-ior. This superabsorbent composite prepared could be a successful drug carrier for treating hypertension.