Simple fabrication of silver hybridized porous chitosan-based patch for transdermal drug-delivery system

Abstract

To improve the physiochemical properties of bio-patch materials, silver compounds of various concentrations were synthesized in chitosan solution and formed to silver hybridized porous chitosan structures. We examined various properties such as morphology, crystallization intensity, mechanical strength, hydrophilic ratio and drug-delivery efficiency. We ascertained that it was optimal to combine silver nitrate of 3%, chitosan of 1% (molecular weight < 1000 kDa), and sodium borohydride of 0.003% for achieving high mechanical strength and drug-delivery efficiency. Drug release rate and hydrophilic ratio was increased due to silver concentration increment. Further, the initial drug release of the silver hybridized porous chitosan patch was approximately 1.5 times faster than that of the chitosan patch as control. These results indicate that silver hybridized porous chitosan patch can be widely used as sterilizing transdermal drug-delivery system (TDDS) in various fields. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.