Biopolymer–clay hydrogel composites as drug carrier: Host–guest intercalation and in vitro release study of lidocaine hydrochloride

The present study focused on the intercalation of lidocaine hydrochloride (LC), an antiarrhythmic local anesthetic drug into montmorillonite (MMT) as a controlled release drug carrier. The intercalation compound (MMT-LC) was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particle size, electrokinetic mobility and thermal analysis. MMT-LC was compounded with alginate (AL) to form a hydrogel composite and to study its release response in gastric environments. The in vitro release experiments revealed that LC was released from MMT/AL in a controlled way which was pH dependent.