pH-sensitive polyelectrolyte complex gel microspheres composed of chitosan/sodium tripolyphosphate/dextran sulfate: swelling kinetics and drug delivery properties

Porous chitosan (CS) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogel microspheres were prepared via either wet phase-inversion or ionotropic crosslinking with sodium tripolyphosphate (Na+-TPP) and dextran sulfate (DS). The resulting microspheres were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental analysis (EA). The controlled release behavior of ibuprofen (IBU) from these microspheres was investigated. The PEC microspheres were about 700-950 μm in diameter with large pores and open porous structure. The CS/TPP/DS microspheres resisted hydrolysis in strong acid and biodegradation in enzymatic surroundings. The swelling kinetics for CS microspheres was close to Fickian diffusion, whereas those for CS/TPP and CS/TPP/DS were non-Fickian. Furthermore, the equilibrium water content (EWC) and water diffusion coefficient (D) increased with the pH of the media. The release profiles of IBU from CS/TPP/DS microspheres were slow in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.4) over 3 h, but nearly all of the initial drug content was released in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8) within 6 h after changing media. Overall the results demonstrated that CS/TPP/DS microspheres could successfully deliver a hydrophobic drug to the intestine without losing the drug in the stomach, and hence could be potential candidates as an orally administered drug delivery system.