Quince seed hydrogel (glucuronoxylan): Evaluation of stimuli responsive sustained release oral drug delivery system and biomedical properties

Abstract Herein, we evaluate Quince seed hydrogel (QH) for the development of sustained release tablets (theophylline (THP) and diclofenac sodium (DS)) and some biomedical applications. Drug excipient compatibility and superporous morphology was witnessed by FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Swelling of tablets was carried out in different media and results depicted high swelling indices of all tablet formulations in DI water, pH 6.8 and 7.4 while minor swelling was noticed in acidic buffer of pH 1.2. Swelling of these formulations followed second order kinetics. Salt responsive swelling was noted in NaCl and KCl solutions and found concentration dependent. Swelling/de-swelling behavior (on-off switching) of tablets was also carried out in buffer of pH 7.4 and pH 1.2, DI water and ethanol, DI water and normal saline. Drug release study from DS and THP tablet formulations was performed in DI water, pH 6.8 and 7.4. Drug release from matrix tablets was inversely proportional to QH concentration which followed the zero order kinetics and super case II transport mechanism. Haemocompatiblity studies of QH was also performed and found it non-haemolytic and non-thrombogenic. The results justified QH utility as a stimuli responsive and sustained release biomaterial for targeted drug delivery systems.