Blending alginate with hydrophobically enhanced cellulose for drug release studies

Research has shown how useful alginate, a natural polymer found in brown algae, is in drug delivery engineering. However, the addition of various substances that form gel networks with alginate improves the mechanical properties of the gels formed. This study examines how gels from alginate and cellulose behave mechanically to determine which cellulose shows the best improvement for future drug delivery research. Mechanical properties studied include swelling, gelation, and rheological characteristics. Hydrophobically enhanced ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (EHEC) with various degrees of polymerization was used in the study. Higher concentrations of cellulose in the mixture yielded more solid-like behavior from the alginate-EHEC gel networks. With the improvement of mechanical durability of drug encapsulation substances, longer lasting drug release can be used to reduce frequency of dosage per medication.