Glutaraldehyde‐crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel discs for the controlled release of antidiabetic drug

Abstract Hydrogel discs of poly(vinyl alcohol) loaded with glipizide, an oral antidiabetic drug, were prepared with glutaraldehyde (GA) as a crosslinker. Various formulations were prepared with various amounts of polymer, GA, and initial drug. The prepared hydrogel discs were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetric analysis, and X‐ray diffractometry. The dynamic swelling behavior and drug‐release patterns were dependent on the crosslink density. The hydrogel discs were capable of releasing drug for up to 24 h. The discs that were prepared with a higher concentration of GA released the drug more slowly. The release data were fitted to an empirical equation to determine the transport mechanism, which indicated a non‐Fickian trend for drug transport. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010