Electroconductive smart polyacrylamide-polypyrrole (PAC-PPY) hydrogel: a device for controlled release of risperidone

Risperidone is a widely used antipsychotic drug for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This paper discusses the preparation and use of a drug loaded electro-conductive hydrogel based on polyacrylamide and polypyrrole in the form of cylindrical devices to confer electro-actuable properties and also controlled release of the drug risperidone. The variation in the swelling and oxidation state of the material induced physical and chemical changes in the conducting polymer network. The electro-liberation process was optimized by tuning the properties of the composite. The hydrogel was characterized by various microscopic and spectroscopic analyses, swelling kinetics, and also network parameters. In vitro drug release studies were carried out in 0.1 N HCl and a phosphate buffer using dissolution apparatus with stirring. Cytotoxic results on HepG2 and C6 cells supported the biocompatibility of the hydrogel. A model was proposed for an implantable drug delivery device, where the dose could be adjusted by external signaling.