Influence of erosion of calcium-induced alginate gel matrix on the release of Brilliant Blue

• Published in: Journal of Controlled Release Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 21 - 26
• Main Authors: Murata, Y., Nakada, K., Miyamoto, E., Kawashima, S., Seo, Seung-Hoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 1993; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alginate gel beads; Biological and medical sciences; Erosion; General pharmacology; Medical sciences; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Swelling; Alginate gel beads; Swelling; Erosion; Dyes; Pharmaceutical technology; Calcium; Support; Controlled release form; Formulation; Dosage form; Oside polymer; Hydrogel; In vitro; Release
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/0168-3659(93)90067-F

The relationship between the release of a dye (Brilliant Blue; BB) incorporated in calcium-induced alginate gels and the erosion of the gel itself was investigated. The release rate of BB from gel formed from low-molecular-weight alginate was faster than that from high-molecular-weight alginate, and the erosion of the gel was also faster in the former case. As the alginate concentration in the gel was increased, the release of both BB and alginate from the gel was controlled. No remarkable differences in the release of BB were found among two kinds of gel formed from alginates with different monomeric composition. Furthermore, some gels formed from high-molecular-weight alginate also decayed in aqueous media containing sufficient levels of univalent cations. It was confirmed that the erosion of gels accelerates the rate of BB release from them.