pH Responsive Hydrogels for the Delivery of Capecitabine: Development, Optimization and Pharmacokinetic Studies

The objective of the current study was to achieve a sustained release profile of capecitabine (CAP), an anticancer agent frequently administered in conventional dosage form due to its short plasma half-life. A drug-loaded smart pH responsive chitosan/fenugreek-g-poly (MAA) hydrogel was synthesized by an aqueous free radical polymerization technique. The developed network was evaluated for capecitabine loading %, swelling response, morphology, structural and compositional characteristics, and drug release behavior. Significantly higher swelling and in vitro drug release rate were exhibited by formulations at pH 7.4 than at pH 1.2, demonstrating the pH responsive character of hydrogels. Swelling percentage and CAP loading ranged within 74.45–83.54% and 50.13–72.43%, respectively. Maximum release, up to 93%, was demonstrated over 30 h, evidencing the controlled release pattern of CAP from hydrogels. The optimized formulation was further screened for acute oral toxicity studies. No signs of oral, dermal, or ocular toxicities were noticed, confirming safety evidence of the network. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated the sustained release response of CAP from hydrogels as confirmed by a significant increase in plasma half-life (t(1/2)) (13 h) and AUC (42.88 µg h/mL) of CAP. Based on these findings, fabricated hydrogels are strongly recommended as a biocompatible carrier for colorectal delivery of active agents.