In vitro release of heparin from silica xerogels

Heparin, a powerful anticoagulant used for the prophylaxis of both surgical and medical thrombosis, was incorporated into a silica xerogel matrix during polycondensation of organic silicate. The influence of various chemical sol–gel parameters (the properties of reaction precursors, catalyst and final moisture content of the gel and heparin concentration) was studied. The release of heparin from the gel was according to zero order during the dissolution period and the release rate of heparin was proportional to the drug load in the concentration range between 6.8 and 13.6 wt%. It was found that the catalyst used for the preparation of the gel, the final moisture content and the chemical modification of silica xerogel network have an influence on the release rate of heparin. The released heparin from all the different xerogels studied retained about 90% of its biological activity.