Preparation and characterization of a novel pH-sensitive ion exchange resin.

Methylacrylic acid/styrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene is a novel pH-sensitive ion exchange resin. Microspheres of this resin were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The microspheres showed a pulsatile swelling behavior when the pH of the media changed. The pH-sensitive microspheres were loaded with salbutamol sulfate and the drug-release characteristics were studied under both simulated gastric and intestinal pH conditions. The results obtained showed that the drug release also depended on the pH of the release media.