Desenvolvimento de uma estrutura a base de celulose para liberação controlada de nutracêuticos

Abstract

Materials with adjustable properties, such as polysaccharides, have attracted significant scientific interest since the 21st century. One of the biggest challenges in this area is the development of materials whose properties mimic problems related to public health. A new chemically cross-linked hydrogel structure was prepared from carboxymethylmethylcellulose (CMC). The swelling rate of the new hydrogel was investigated in buffer solutions with pH of 2.2, 5.5 and 7.3. The synthesized hydrogel was found to be sensitive to pH variations, being more prominent in basic solution. As the release of solutes is governed by the diffusion of water molecules into the hydrogel, it can be inferred that the polymeric device tends to release significant amounts of nutraceuticals when it is highly swollen, a condition that is reached at pH 7.3. This suggests that the hydrogel can transport nutraceuticals through the acidic environments of the gastric system and release them in places where the pH of medium is ca. 7, such as the small intestine. This work combines good polymer synthesis, studies of the properties of the polymer, as well as demonstration of the potential applications of the polymer for drug delivery. It is also of contemporary interest for the development of advanced biomaterials and stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems.