Drug-delivery study and estimation of polymer–solvent interaction parameter for bisacrylate ester-modified Pluronic hydrogels

In this study, Pluronic F127 hydrogels were characterised as an injectable system for the controlled release of drugs with variable molecular weights (FITC-Dextran at 70 and 40 kDa). In addition, the polymer–solvent interaction parameter (χ) was successfully estimated. Pluronic hydrogels (10–25 wt.%) were redox cured and their swelling behaviour investigated in PBS (pH 7.45) at 37 °C. After swelling to equilibrium, the hydrogels were compressed and the rubber-elasticity theory was applied to evaluate χ. Tensile tests proved the hydrogels were elastic and their χ values ranged between 0.50 and 0.53. The full drug load could be delivered over a period of ∼15 h suggesting that redox cured Pluronic F127 hydrogels can function as injectable systems for controlled and sustained release of macromolecules.