Drug release property of chitosan–pectinate beads and its changes under the influence of microwave

The effects of microwave irradiation on the drug release property of pectinate beads loaded internally with chitosan (chitosan–pectinate beads) were investigated against the pectinate beads and beads coacervated with chitosan externally (pectinate–chitosonium beads). These beads were prepared by an extrusion method using sodium diclofenac as the model water-soluble drug. The beads were subjected to microwave irradiation at 80 W for 5, 10, 21 and 40 min. The profiles of drug dissolution, drug content, drug–polymer interaction and polymer–polymer interaction were determined by drug dissolution testing, drug content assay, drug adsorption study, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. Treatment of pectinate beads by microwave did not lead to a decrease, but an increase in the extent of drug released at 4 h of dissolution owing to reduced pectin–pectin interaction via the CO moiety of polymer. In addition, the extent of drug released from the pectinate beads could not be reduced merely through the coacervation of pectinate matrix with chitosan. The reduction in the extent of drug released from the pectinate–chitosonium beads required the treatment of these beads by microwave, following an increase in drug–polymer and polymer–polymer interaction in the matrix. The extent of drug released from the pectinate beads was reduced through incorporating chitosan directly into the interior of pectinate matrix, owing to drug–chitosan adsorption. Nonetheless, the treatment of chitosan–pectinate matrix by microwave brought about an increase in the extent of drug released unlike those of pectinate–chitosonium beads. Apparently, the loading of chitosan into the interior of pectinate matrix could effectively retard the drug release without subjecting the beads to the treatment of microwave. The microwave was merely essential to reduce the release of drug from pectinate beads when the chitosan was introduced to the pectinate matrix by means of coacervation. Under the influences of microwave, the drug release property of beads made of pectin and chitosan was mainly modulated via the CH, OH and NH moieties of polymers and drug, with CH functional group purported to retard while OH and NH moieties purported to enhance the drug released from the matrix.