Microwave-Promoted Synthesis of Smart Superporous Hydrogel for the Development of Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System

Smart superporous hydrogels (SPHs) based on dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and acrylamide monomers with and without magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized via a microwave procedure. The synthesized samples were confirmed by various techniques such as Fourier transform spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and transmission electron microscopy. The parameters such as pH, irradiation time, and MNPs content on the swelling behavior of products were studied. The results of swelling studies in artificial gastric and intestine media exhibited a higher swelling ratio of SPHs in lower pH, confirming smart performance of SPHs for gastroretentive drug delivery (GDD). The metronidazole (MTZ) was used as an effective antibiotic administered in peptic ulcer therapy. The in vitro release studies showed that the presence of MNPs into the hydrogel network provided the sustained release pattern for MTZ. It was concluded that our developed SPHs and MSPHs fabricated via a facile method have potential to be used in GDD.