title: Chitosan based hydrogel microspheres as drug carriers.
abstract: Chitosan/tripolyphosphate (CHIT/TPP) and chitosan/tripolyphosphate/chondroitin sulfate (CHIT/TPP/CHS) core-shell type microspheres were prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation in order to develop a biocompatible matrix for drug delivery. The continual method using a multi-loop reactor under sterile conditions was applied for microsphere preparation. All the types of microspheres produced were spherical in shape and had a porous structure. The mechanical resistance of the microspheres increased in the presence of CHS as the second polyanion, which toughened the microsphere shell structure. For a drug release application, the process of microsphere preparation was modified by dissolving ofloxacin (OFL), the fluoroquinolone antibiotic, in CHIT solution before complex formation. This study shows the difference in OFL release comparing the microspheres CHIT/TPP and CHIT/TPP/CHS and implies the potential to control this process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastics and Rubber, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak Technical University, Radlinského 9, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vodná
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bubeníková
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lacík
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chorvát
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bakos
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008863:Microspheres; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels; D011122:Polyphosphates; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D048271:Chitosan; D015242:Ofloxacin; C005692:triphosphoric acid