In vitro drug release studies from the polymeric hydrogels based on HEA and HPMA using 4-{(E)-[(3Z)-3-(4-(acryloyloxy)benzylidene)-2-hexylidene]methyl}phenyl acrylate as a crosslinker

Novel crosslinker, 4-{(E)-[(3Z)-3-(4-(acryloyloxy)benzylidene)-2-hexylidene]methyl}phenyl acrylate (AMA) was synthesized using (2Z, 6E)-2,6-bis(4-hydroxybenzylidene)cyclohexanone (HBC) and acryloyl chloride. Two types of crosslinked polymeric hydrogels were prepared from 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) monomers using AMA as a crosslinking agent. 2′,4-dichloro-5′-fluoro-1-ene-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)phenone (EHP) (J. Bio Active Compat. Polym. 18 (2003) 219) was used as a drug molecule for monitoring the releasing behaviour of the hydrogels. Morphology of the hydrogels was characterized using optical microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. Several modifications were made in the experimental sections to study the effect of crosslinking percentage (CLP), drug loading percentage (DLP), monomer type (HEA and HPMA) and the pH. Totally 18 experiments were carried out to study the desired parameters in the hydrogels. The drug-releasing rate was monitored by the absorption appeared at 330.5 nm using UV spectrometer. It was found that the releasing rate of the drug from the polymeric hydrogels was dependent on the crosslinking density, drug loading percentage, monomer type and pH of the medium.