The relation between swelling properties and cross-linking of hydrogels designed for colon-specific drug delivery

Copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ( HEMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA)-based hydrogels containing 5% and 10% of a cross-linking agent were studied as drug delivery systems. Terephthalic acid was covalently linked with HEMA, abbreviated as CA ( cross-linking agent). Free radical cross-linking copolymerization of HEMA and methacrylic acid ( MAA) in three different molar ratios, mixed with a particulate 3, 3-azobis (6-hydroxy benzoic acid) (ABHB) as an azo derivative of 5-aminosalicylic acid with the various ratios CA as cross-linking agent were carried out with using 2, 2, Azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator at the temperature range 60 -70 degrees C. The compositions of the cross-linked three-dimensional polymers were determined by FTIR spectroscopy. Glass transition temperature of the network polymers was determined calorimetrically. The hydrolysis of drug-polymer conjugates was carried out in cellophane membrane dialysis bags containing an aqueous buffer solution ( pH 7.4 and pH 1) at 37 degrees C. The drug-release profiles indicate that the amount of drug release depends on its degree of swelling and cross-linking.