Sustained Release of Metoprolol Tartarate from Radiation-Grafted pH-Responsive Hydrogels

pH-responsive hydrogels composed of methacrylic acid (MAA) grafted on poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(vinylpyrrolidone)(PEO-PVP) network were made by electron beam irradiation technique. The grafting was carried out at various concentrations of MAA with different irradiation doses. The gels were characterized by IR, DSC and SEM techniques. The swelling behavior of the gels was studied under different pH conditions. The swelling parameters were evaluated. The mode of water diffusion into the gels was found to be structure-dependent. The pH responsiveness of the gels was evident from the enhanced swelling of the gels with increasing pH of the medium. The suitability of these gels as matrix materials for stimuli-responsive sustained-release drug formulations was studied. The in vitro release profile of an antihypertensive drug, metoprolol tartarate, from these gels was studied at pH 1.2 and 7.4. The extent of drug release is found to be pH-dependent. The data were analyzed to understand the mechanism of drug release from the gels. The gels exhibited diffusion-controlled release behavior. Drug release kinetic analysis indicated first order release where the amount of drug released is dependent on the matrix drug load and the value of the diffusion coefficient indicated anomalous diffusion.