Preparation of pH-sensitive hydrogels by graft polymerization of itaconic acid on tragacanth gum

Graft polymerization of itaconic acid on tragacanth gum (TG) was carried out using potassium persulfate as initiator to develop smart hydrogels for drug delivery systems. The effect of the grafting parameters on the degree of grafting was investigated. The grafting was significantly influenced by the reaction medium, the reaction temperature and the monomer concentration. The monomer dependency of the system was found to be 1.52. The hydrogels were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The grafted TG had an amorphous nature and exhibited excellent swelling in water and strong dependence on the pH of the medium. The grafted TG showed pH-dependent release of ciprofloxacin which offers the possibility of using these materials in colon-specific drug targeting for human healthcare systems. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry