Design of ciprofloxacin impregnated dietary fiber psyllium-moringa gum-alginate network hydrogels via green approach for use in gastro-retentive drug delivery system

In order to improve the pharmacokinetic deficiencies and bioavailability of therapeutic agent used in the upper gastro intestinal tract (GIT), herein this article gastro-retentive drug delivery system (DDS) were developed via green approach from medicinally important polysaccharides psyllium, moringa gum and alginate. The antibiotic drug ciprofloxacin was impregnated into DDS. These polymeric DDS were characterized by cryo-SEMs, FTIR, 13C NMR and XRD analysis. The simulated gastric fluid uptake was reduced with rise in crosslinking during ionotropic gelation. The diffusion of ciprofloxacin was non-Fickian and it was fitted in Korsmeyer-Peppas model. The porous nature of the crosslinked network hydrogel beads was observed in cryo SEM images. XRD indicated the amorphous nature of the hydrogel beads. The haemolytic index value of beads was observed less than 5%. The results of the polymer interactions with blood indicated the non-hemolytic nature of the polymers with their suitability for controlled drug delivery applications. The antioxidant property indicated 64.03 ± 0.29% DPPH radicals scavenging assay of the beads. Overall, anti-ulcer activity of the DDS for gastric ulceration could be enhanced due to slow release of ciprofloxacin drug from drug delivery carrier which itself has antiulcer therapeutic potential due to composed dietary fibers psyllium-moringa gum-alginate.