title: Synthesis of a semi-interpenetrating polymer network as a bioactive curcumin film.
abstract: This study focused on the synthesis and characterization of a natural polymeric system employing the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) comprising curcumin as a bioactive. Biopolymers and actives such as chitosan, hypromellose, citric acid, genipin, and curcumin were used to develop an effective, biodegradable, and biocompatible film employed therapeutically as a wound healing platform. The semi-IPN films were investigated for their physicochemical, physicomechanical, and biological properties by quantification by FTIR, DSC, and Young's modulus. Following characterization, an optimum candidate formulation was produced whereby further in vitro and ex vivo studies were performed. Results revealed a burst release occurring at the first hour with 1.1 mg bioactive released when in contact with the dissolution medium and 2.23 mg due to bioactive permeation through the skin, thus suggesting that the lipophilic nature of skin greatly impacted the bioactive release rate. Furthermore, chemical and mechanical characterization and tensile strength analysis revealed that the degree of crosslinking and concentration of polymeric material used significantly influenced the properties of the film.
authors.affiliation: Wits Advanced Drug Delivery Platform Research Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.
authors.forename: Naeema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mayet
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Yahya E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Choonara
authors.forename: Lomas K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tomar
authors.forename: Charu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: du Toit
authors.forename: Viness
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pillay
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D048271:Chitosan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D039823:Iridoids / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D010539:Permeability; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012869:Skin Absorption; D012995:Solubility; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D039823:Iridoids; D014867:Water; D048271:Chitosan; C007834:genipin; D003474:Curcumin