title: Characterisation of biodegradable pectin aerogels and their potential use as drug carriers.
abstract: The purpose of this work was to prepare stable citrus (CF) and apple (AF) pectin aerogels for potential pharmaceutical applications. Different shapes of low ester pectin aerogels were prepared by two fundamental methods of ionic cross-linking. Pectins' spherical and multi-membrane gels were first formed by the diffusion method using 0.2M CaCl2 solution as an ionic cross-linker. The highest specific surface area (593 m(2)/g) that had so far been reported for pectin aerogels was achieved using this method. Monolithic pectin gels were formed by the internal setting method. Pectin gels were further converted into aerogels by supercritical drying using CO2. As surface area/volume is one of the key parameters in controlling drug release, multi-membrane pectin aerogels were further used as drug delivery carriers. Theophylline and nicotinic acid were used as model drugs for the dissolution study. CF aerogels showed more controlled release behaviour than AF pectin aerogels. Moreover a higher release rate (100%) was observed with CF aerogels.
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veronovski
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Gabrijela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tkalec
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Željko
authors.initials: Ž
authors.lastname: Knez
authors.affiliation: University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia. Electronic address: zoran.novak@um.si.
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Novak
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005782:Gels / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010368:Pectins / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005782:Gels; D010368:Pectins
keywords: Aerogel; Biodegradable gel; Controlled drug release; Drug carrier; Multi-membrane gel; Pectin