Crosslinking-Dependent Drug Kinetics in Hydrogels for Ophthalmic Delivery
Nicole Mortensen, Parker Toews, Jeffrey S. Bates
Abstract
Drug-diffusion kinetics in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate hydrogels were studied as a function of the crosslinking density and porosity. By varying the concentration of the crosslinker, tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate, we demonstrated how the release of Timolol maleate could be optimized to allow for efficient drug delivery. FTIR and spectrophotometry supplied optical inferences into the functional groups present. By studying the swelling and degradation of hydrogels, supplemented with drug-release kinetics studies, the relationship between these two tenets could be formulated.
Topics & Concepts
Self-healing hydrogelsKineticsSwellingMethacrylateDrug deliveryFourier transform infrared spectroscopyDiffusionMaterials science2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate(Hydroxyethyl)methacrylateChemical engineeringChemistryPolymer chemistryDrugNuclear chemistryOrganic chemistryPolymerPharmacologyComposite materialCopolymerThermodynamicsEngineeringMedicinePhysicsQuantum mechanicsHydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsAdvanced Drug Delivery SystemsOcular Surface and Contact Lens