Metformin hydrochloride-loaded poly(vinyl alcohol) composites as drug delivery systems

A straightforward method is proposed for the preparation of drug-loaded biocompatible polymer composites based on the freeze drying technique. The solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and metformin hydrochloride (MH) is frozen using liquid nitrogen and the ice crystals are removed by sublimation through freeze drying, which results in the formation of MH-loaded PVA composite. By controlling the PVA concentration in the solution, both MH-loaded PVA fibers and porous products can be obtained. The synthesized MH-loaded PVA composites are characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The drug release behavior of the as-prepared products is studied to reveal their potential use in drug delivery system.