Original Article ENZYMATICALLY SYNTHESIZED pH-RESPONSIVE IPN FOR IN-SITU RELEASE OF PANTOPRAZOLE SODIUM SARUCHI SHARMA 1* , VANEET KUMAR 2 *1 Department of Biotechnology, CT Group of Institutions, Shahpur Campus, Punjab, India, 2 Department of Applied Sciences, CT Group of Institutions, Shahpur Campus, Punjab, India Email: suruchinitj15@gmail.com Received: 28 Nov 2018 Revised and Accepted: 01 Mar 2019 ABSTRACT Objective: This study involves the synthesis of Gum tragacanth (gt) based interpenetrating polymer network (ipn) and its utilization for sustained release of anti-ulcerative drug i.e. pantoprazole sodium. Methods: IPN was synthesized from Gum tragacanth, polyacrylic acid (gt-cl-paa) hydrogel. gt-cl-paa was kept in distilled water. Further, acryamide (aam) and methylmethacrylate (mma) was added and then kept for overnight. Later on, lipase and glutaraldehyde were added. Homopolymers and the unreacted monomers were removed using acetone. Synthesized IPN was dried at 50 °C for further study. Synthesized ipn was swelled in water and the drug was added to it. The drug was entrapped in the pores of the synthesized ipn and then drug release behavior was studied using uv-vis spectrophotometer. Results: Gt, paa and mma based crosslinked IPN were synthesized using lipase-glutaraldehyde as initiator-crosslinker system. The synthesized IPN was pH sensitive and possessed the desired swelling capacity required for the controlled and systematic liberation of pantoprazole sodium at 37 °C. The kinetic of drug release was studied and found that lateral diffusion (DL) of drug was higher as compared to the initial diffusion (DI). The prepared IPN can be used as prospective carrier for prolonged drug delivery. Conclusion: A novel pH sensitive and colon targeted IPN was synthesized. It acts as an effective device for the controlled release of drug pantoprazole sodium. Keywords: Interpenetrating polymer network (ipn), Drug delivery, Methylmethacrylate and pantoprazole sodium © 2019 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2019v11i4.31043 INTRODUCTION Colon-specific drug delivery is considered as one of the essential sectors nowadays across the globe. Cure of colonic ailments, for example Crohn’s ailment, ulcerative colitis etc. requires colon targeted drug release device. Colonic drug delivery system needed a time-consuming release of the drug in the stomach and in the intestine faster release of the drug. Best options for this is to use pH responding smart materials, timed specific release and utilization of pro-drug [1, 2]. Today research study has been centered on the preparation of ipn system as they have superior characteristics than that of the individual monomers from which it is formed. Today’s demands cannot be achieved with homopolymer and grafted product [3-6]. As the requirements have increased both in the case of properties and performances, interpenetrating polymeric network (ipn) fulfill all the above demands. ipn hydrogels comprised of two or more than two polymer chains that are made by the proximity of each other. These have been found to be resourceful for different applications. The characteristics of ipn-system such as porous behavior, flexibility and reaction to stimuli can be exploited in the different sectors like pharmaceutical, agriculture, biomedical etc. [7-10]. The ability to hold a significant quantity of water content makes IPN flexible and resembles the biological tissues [11-14]. The diffusion of the molecules is specific from the IPN matrix. IPN matrix responds to the change in temperature, pH, electric and magnetic fields. Its spongy characteristics permit easy loading of drugs into the ipn and consequent discharge of the drug at a determined pace and at a particular interval of time [15-17]. Such characteristics of the ipn beneficial to use them as a device for regulated liberation of the drugs. The gastro-intestinal (gi) liberation of sodium diclofenac has carried out through chitosan/polyethylene glycol hydrogel beads. Researchers are working on the pH sensitive and glucose-sensitive insulin release through hydrogels both in vitro and in vivo [18-21]. Gum tragacanth (gt) is an anionic polysaccharide that contains two main parts: one is H2O soluble and other is H2O swellable. Both the portions can be easily separated. Bassorin and tragacanthin composition differ notably regarding their contents of uronic acid and methoxyl [22-24]. The current study comprised of synthesis of new IPN based on gt, aa, aam and mma, crosslinked with glutaraldehyde and catalyzed by enzyme lipase and studied as the possible GI drug delivery device for the model drug employing, pantoprazole sodium. The novelty of the present work lies on that a green method i.e. enzyme was used instead of chemical initiator for the synthesis of ipn. Natural polysaccharide gt was modified for the synthesis of ipn. gt based product was already in used in food industry, thus no harsh effect for synthesizing IPN based drug delivery device. The synthesized ipn respond to the external pH, thus effective for the controlled release of pantoprazole sodium in the gi tract. The synthesized matrix contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic chains. Moreover, hydrophobic part helps in the controlled liberation of the drug from the matrix. Thus, the ipn matrix is the promising approach for the in vitro release of the drug. It improves the assimilation of pantoprazole sodium in the gi tract for a prolonged time. Pantoprazole sodium is an acid-labile drug and is effective when absorbed in the gi tract. Therefore, drug liberation was studied at different pH. MATERIALS AND METHODS Chemicals gt, glutaraldehyde, aa, aam and mma (MERCK), India, Lipase (MP Biomedia). FTIR of the gt and IPN were recorded on Perkin spectrophotometer by KBr pellet method. SEM was taken on LEO- 435VF. uv-vis spectrophotometer (Systronics, 2201) was used to International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN- 0975-1491 Vol 11, Issue 4, 2019