Semiinterpenetrating polymer networks of chitosan and L‐alanine for monitoring the release of chlorpheniramine maleate

In vitro studies have been carried on semiinterpenetrating polymer network (IPN) beads of chitosan–alanine as carrier for the controlled release of chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) drug. A viscous solution of chitosan–alanine was prepared in 2% acetic acid solution, extruded as droplets by a syringe to NaOH–methanol solution and crosslinked using glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. The swelling behavior of crosslinked beads in different pH solutions was measured at different time intervals. The swelling behavior was observed to be dependent on pH and degree of crosslinking. The structural and morphological studies of beads were carried out by using a scanning electron microscope. The drug release experiments of different drug loading capacity beads were performed in solutions of pH 2 and pH 7.4 using CPM as a model drug. The concentration of the released drug was evaluated using UV spectrophotometer. The results suggest that chitosan–alanine crosslinked beads are suitable for controlled release of drug. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 3751–3757, 2007