A pH/enzyme-responsive polymer film consisting of Eudragit^® FS 30 D and arabinoxylane as a potential material formulation for colon-specific drug delivery system

Abstract

Polymer film based on pH-dependent Eudragit^® FS 30 D acrylic polymer in association with arabinoxylane, a polysaccharide issued from gum psyllium, was produced by way of solvent casting. Physical-chemical characterization of the polymer film samples was performed by means of thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, water-equilibrium swelling index (I_s) and weight loss of the films in KCl buffer solution of pH 1.2, in KH₂PO₄ buffer solution of pH 5.0, or in KH₂PO₄ buffer solution of pH 5.0 consisting of 4% enzyme Pectinex^® 3X-L (w/v) were also carried out for the film characterization. No chemical interactions between the Eudragit^® FS 30 D and the arabinoxylane polymer chains were evidenced, thus suggesting that the film-forming polymer structure was obtained from a physical mixture of both polymers. The arabinoxylane-loader films showed a more pronounced weight loss after their immersion in buffer solution containing enzyme Pectinex^® 3X-L. The introduction of the arabinoxylane makes the film more susceptible to undergo an enzymatic degradation. This meant that the enzyme-dependent propriety issued from the arabinoxylane has been imprinted into the film formulation. This type of polymer film is an interesting system for applications in colon-specific drug delivery system.

Keywords::

• pH-responsive
• enzyme-responsive
• psyllium
• polysaccharide
• enzyme
• Eudragit

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the Sidhpur Sat-Isabgol Factory for the PSH supply. Alejo Palacios (Almapal- Brazil) for the constant support to our academic research. This research is result of an institutional project PPG-UEM 9739/2008.

Declaration of interest

MFR and AVR acknowledge the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-Brazil) for master (Proc. 134190/2008-4) and post-doctoral (Proc. 151999/2008-2) fellowships, respectively. The authors report no declarations of interest.