My question can be like this as well..which one is easier to be encapsulated inside the alginate? A hydrophobic or hydrophilic drug? how about the other ingredients? like amine curing agents?
Chan..thanks for your continuous support always..but why when somebody deal with drugs then hydrophil drugs can be easily encapsulated in the alginate? is other factors like pH and polymer interactions also having major effects here? thanks a lot..
Without serious consideration, we just assume that alginate is hydrophilic material.
Hydrophilic drug generally can be encapsulated in hydrophilic materials. Hydrophilic functional groups of alginate interact with hydrophilic drugs.
When you try to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs in alginate, a E.E would be low and release profile would be fast.
Just as Jong-Seup Baek said, encapsulation efficiency also works on the principle of like dissolves like. However, EE also depends upon the method you are using. In some cases, pH also affect it due to changes in aqueous solubility below isoelectric point.
You may also improve EE of hydrophobic drug by making mixture of hydrophilic polymer with a hydrophobic polymer.
If you are using the emulsion formation method then the emulsifier being used also plays a vital role. Proper choice of the suitable emulsifier is also important to improve the EE and is also a mandatory consideration whether a hydrophobic or a hydrophilic drug is being used.
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