Drug release behavior of hybrid hydrogels based on biopolymers

In this study, efficient hybrid hydrogels as drug delivery platforms were synthesized using Kraft lignin, a biopolymer obtained from the alkaline paper industry, chitosan and glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. The ratio of lignin was an important variable factor of this study and its effect on morphology and mechanical properties were studied. The characteristics such as compressive property, swelling capacity, drug release, degradation time, and SEM imaging of the hydrogels of chitosan and chitosan/ lignin with different amount of lignin were investigated. Also, paracetamol drug was selected as a drug model. The results showed that the glutaraldehyde crosslinker can effectively create a crosslinked structure, so that the durability and stability of the hydrogels in the desired conditions is up to 15 days for the pure chitosan sample and 11 days for the lignin chitosan sample, respectively. Although the shortest shelf life (5 days) corresponds to the highest amount of lignin, which was a shorter period of time, but it gives enough time for the drug to be completely released. The results showed that although the hydrogel structure is weakened by increasing the percentage of lignin, the drug was released faster with the increasing of lignin, which can be considered as a factor for changing the release rate of drug according to the intended application. The highest amount of release was observed in hydrogels with the highest amount of lignin, so that in the first two hours, its amount was about six times higher than that of pure chitosan hydrogel.