Release of triamcinolone acetonide from mucoadhesive polymer composed of chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) in vitro

Transmucosal drug delivery (TMD) system using mucoadhesive polymer has been recently interested due to the rapid onset of action, high blood level, avoidance of the first-pass effect and the exposure of the drug to the gastrointestinal tract. A novel mucoadhesive polymer complex composed of chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) was prepared by template polymerization of acrylic acid in the presence of chitosan for the TMD system. Triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) was loaded into the chitosan/PAA polymer complex film. TAA was evenly dispersed in chitosan/PAA polymer complex film without interaction with polymer complex. Release behavior of TAA from the mucoadhesive polymer film was dependent on time, pH, loading content of drug, and chitosan/PAA ratio. The analysis of the drug release from the mucoadhesive film showed that TAA might be released from the chitosan/PAA polymer complex film through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.