Poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (acrylamide-co-diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) semi-IPN hydrogels for ciprofloxacin hydrochloride drug delivery.

Herein, the authors developed a new and potential semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) hydrogels of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), acryl amide and diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride employing chemical cross-linker N, N'-methylene bisacrylamide (NNMBA) and ammonium persulphate as an initiator by radical polymerisation. To analyse the copolymer formation between two monomers and IPN cross-linking reaction, the resulting hydrogel was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the surface morphology was analysed using scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction studies were also carried out for investigating drug loading and distribution and swelling experiments were carried out for the uptake of water. In vitro release of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride from hydrogel was performed at intestinal conditions. The amount of PVA, NNMBA and total monomer concentration was found to strongly control the drug release behaviour from the hydrogels.