PEG-g-(HEMA-co-AA) pH-responsive graft copolymer: A promising approach for the controlled oral delivery of acid-labile rabeprazole sodium.

Authors

Ume Ruqia Tulain, Nadia Shamshad Malik, Alia Erum, Ayesha Rashid, Sajjad Hussain, Sidra Aslam, Arshad Mahmood, Nariman Shahid, Chuxiao Shao, Shuanghu Wang, Ayesha Younas

Published in

Journal of pharmaceutical sciences. Pages 104438. Jul 25, 2026. Epub Jul 25, 2026.

Abstract

This research presents the development of a novel pH-sensitive PEG (HEMA-co-AA) graft copolymer hydrogel designed to provide controlled and protective delivery of acid-labile drugs, specifically Rabeprazole sodium. The hydrogel was synthesized using polyethylene glycol (PEG), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), acrylic acid (AA), with N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as a cross-linker and potassium persulfate (KPS) as an initiator. The hydrogel's structural integrity and formation were confirmed through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and swelling studies. It is noteworthy that the hydrogel exhibits a different pH-dependent swelling behaviour, which expands under alkaline conditions and maintains its compact structure under acidic conditions. The content of acrylic acid contributed to the high-water retention and the swelling profile indicated that the product was suitable for the specific release of the drug at the site. The in-vitro release of rabeprazole sodium at acidic pH is very low, thus protecting rabeprazole sodium from premature degradation in the stomach; however, controlled release of rabeprazole sodium was achieved at intestinal pH via a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism (Korsmeyer-Peppas n = 0.40-0.62, Higuchi R² = 0.991-0.996) over 12 hours. Moreover, in-vivo acute toxicity studies indicated that the hydrogel is highly biocompatible, suggesting it is safe for use in future therapeutic applications. Overall, the PEG (HEMA-co-AA) hydrogel represents a versatile vehicle for the controlled and local administration of acid-labile pharmaceuticals, thereby promoting increased therapeutic efficacy.

PMID:
42501943
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Jul 2026.

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