Presented By:

ANNA
Bachelor of technology
Dept. of chemical engineering
ROLL NO. 12001005010

C
O
N
T
E
N
T
S

Introduction
Advantages of Hydrogels
Disadvantages of Hydrogels
Types of Hydrogels
Monomers Used In The Synthesis of Syntheti
Method of Preparation of Hydrogels
Characterization of Hydrogels
Common Uses For Hydrogels
Pharmaceutical Applications of Hydrogels
Summary and conclusions
References
Acknowledgement

Introduction
:

Definitio
n:

Hydrogel is a three-dimensional network of polymer

chains that are hydrophilic, water insoluble, sometimes
found as a colloidal gel in which water is the dispersion
medium.
Hydrogels are highly absorbent natural or synthetic
polymers.

Advantages of Hydrogels

flexibility similar to natural tissue

low toxicity.
Environmentally sensitive
good transport properties.
Biocompatible.
can be injected.
easy to modify.

sadvantages of Hydrogels:

Hydrogels used as contact lenses causes lens

deposition, dehydration and red eye
reactions.
Hydrogels have low mechanical strength
Difficulty in handling.
Difficulty in loading.
Difficulty in Sterilization
5

pes of Hydrogels :
Natural Polymers

e.g.: Dextran, Chitosan, Collagen, Dextran Sulfate

Disadvantages:
Low mechanical Strength.
Batch variation.
Animal derived materials may pass on viruses.

pes of Hydrogels :
Synthetic Polymers

e.g.:Poly (vinyl alcohol)

Disadvantages:
Low biodegradability
Can include toxic substances
7

Monomers Used In The Synthesis

Of Synthetic Hydrogels:
Monomer
abbreviation

Monomer

EG

Ethylene glycol

EGDMA

Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate

NVP

N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone

AA

Acrylic acid

PEGMA

PEG methacrylate
8

Method Of Preparation Of
Hydrogels:
Crosslinking
Isostatic Ultra High Pressure
Nucleophilic Substitution
Reaction
Using Gelling Agents
Use Of Irradiation

Crosslinking:
Linear polymers

Irradiation

Chemical compounds

Crosslinking

Monomers used in the preparation of the ionic polymer network

contain an ionizable group, gets ionized, or undergoes
substitution after the polymerization is completed.
10

By using Cross Linkers:

Purpose

Examples

To impart sufficient mechanical

strength to these polymers

Glutaraldehyde, Calcium chloride

Advantage

Cross linkers prevent burst release of

the medicaments.

Drawbacks

Presence of residue.
11

Isostatic Ultra High Pressure :

Suspension of natural biopolymers (starch)
ultrahigh pressure of
300-700 MPa

5or 20 min

gelatinization of starch molecules occur.

IUHP brings about changes in the morphology of

the polymer.
Where as heat-induced gelatinization (40 to 52C)
causes a change in ordered state of polymer.

12

Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction:

Methacyloyl chloride

2-dimethylamino ethylamine.

Nucleophilic substitution.

N-2-dimethyl amino ethyl-methacryalmide (DMAEMA)

(a pH and temperature sensitive.)

13

By Using Gelling Agents:

Examples

Drawbacks

Glycophosphate.
1-2 Propanediol.
Glycerol.
Mannitol.

Turbidity.
Presence of negative charged
moieties pose problem of interaction
with the drug.
14

Use Of Irradiation:

Advantages

Drawbacks

Irradiation method is convenient.

Hydrogels prepared by microwave
irradiation are more porous than
conventional methods.

Irradiation method processing is costly

Mechanical strength of such Hydrogels
is less.
15

Freeze Thawing:

Sufficient mechanical strength.

Advantage
Good Stability.

Opaque in appearance
Drawbacks

Little swelling capacity.

16

Characterization Of Hydrogels:

17

In-vitro Release Study For Drugs:

Since Hydrogels are the swollen polymeric

networks,
interior of which is occupied by drug molecules,
therefore, release studies are carried out to
understand
the mechanism of release over a period of application

18

Mechanical properties:

Mechanical properties of hydrogels are very

important for pharmaceutical applications.
The integrity of the drug delivery device during
the lifetime of the application is very important to
obtain FDA approval, unless the device is
designed as a biodegradable system.
19

Mechanical properties:

A drug delivery system designed to protect a

sensitive therapeutic agent,such as protein, must
maintain its integrity to be able to protect the protein
until it is released out of the system.
Changing the degree of crosslinking has been
utilized to achieve the desired mechanical property

20

Mechanical properties:

Increasing the degree of crosslinking of the system

will result in a stronger gel.
However, a higher degree of cross-linking creates a
more brittle structure.
Hence, there is an optimum degree of crosslinking
to achieve a relatively strong and yet elastic
21

Mechanical properties:

Copolymerization has also been utilized to achieve

the desired mechanical properties of hydrogels.
Incorporating a co-monomer that will contribute
to H-bonding can increase the strength of the
hydrogel.

22

Common Uses For Hydrogels:

23

Summary & Conclusion:

Recent developments in the field of polymer

science and technology has led to the development
of various stimuli sensitive hydrogels like pH,
temperature sensitive, which are used for the targeted
delivery of proteins to colon, and chemotherapeutic
agents to tumors.
24

Summary & Conclusion:

Some environmental variables, such as low pH and

elevated temperatures, are found in the body.
For this reason, either pH-sensitive and/or
temperature sensitive hydrogels can be used for
site-specific controlled drug delivery.

25

Summary & Conclusion:

Hydrogels that are responsive to specific molecules,

such as glucose or antigens, can be used as
biosensors as well as drug delivery systems.
The hydrogels may be suitable as a wound
substitutes and can be used in wound healing.

26

Summary & Conclusion:

New synthetic methods have been used to prepare

homo- and co-polymeric hydrogels for a wide
range of drugs, peptides, and protein delivery
applications.
27

References:
1.Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy.
Published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.
Twenty-First Editions. P.NO. 294,756,867,868.
2. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, A. Wade and P.J.
Weller ed., The Pharmaceutical Press, London, 1994, pp.
229232.
3. British Pharmacopoeia 2002, the Stationary Office,
London, 2002, p. 20922094.
28

Thank You

29