Relationship Between film Properties and Drug Release from Acrylic Films

Physical properties and molecular behavior of chitosan films

Chitosan films, varying in molecular weight and degree of deacetylation, were prepared by a casting technique using acetic acid as a dissolving vehicle. The physicochemical properties of the films were characterized. Both molecular weight and degree of deaceylation affected the film properties. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns and differential scanning calorimetry thermograms of all chitosan films indicated their amorphous state to partially crystalline state with thermal degradation temperature lower than 280-300 degrees C. The increase in molecular weight of chitosan would increase the tensile strength and elongation as well as moisture absorption of the films, whereas the increase in degree of deacetylation of chitosan would either increase or decrease the tensile strength of the films depending on its molecular weight. Moreover, the higher the degree of deacetylation of chitosan the more brittle and the less moisture absorption the films became. All chitosan films were soluble in HCl-KCl buffer (pH 1.2), normal saline, and distilled water. They swelled in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4), and cross-linking between chitosan and phosphate anions might occur Finally, transmission infrared and 13C-NMR spectra supported that chitosan films prepared by using acetic acid as a dissolving were chitosonium acetate films.

Physical and chemical factors influencing the release of drugs from acrylic resin films

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing the release of salicylic acid and chlorpheniramine maleate from polymethacrylate amino-ester copolymer films (Eudragits RL PM and RS PM). Differential scanning calorimetry was performed on the films to study the solubility of drug in the polymer and to determine the effect of added drug on the thermal properties of the film. Incorporation of drug into the polymers decreased the glass transition temperature of the polymers. Dissolution of drug from monolithic slabs was followed as a function of temperature, drug concentration in the films, and ionic strength of the release media. In addition, adsorption studies were conducted with each drug:polymer combination to help explain release results and further characterize the drug:polymer interactions that occurred. The rate of drug release increased with increasing temperature. Adsorption of salicylic acid by the polymers was believed to influence the drug release profiles observed for different drug loadings and ionic strengths. Eudragit RL was found to adsorb salicylic acid to a greater extent than the Eudragit RS. Chlorpheniramine maleate was not found to be adsorbed by either polymer.