Release study of methylene blue as model drug encapsulated by alginate-starch blend beads prepared via crosslinking method

This thesis investigates the release study of methylene blue (MB), a model drug, encapsulated with sodium alginate and starch blends using a crosslinking method. The encapsulation of drugs within biopolymer matrices has gained significant attention due to its potential applications in drug delivery systems. In this study, sodium alginate and starch blends were utilized as biocompatible and biodegradable materials for drug encapsulation. The crosslinking method was employed to enhance the stability and control the release of MB from the encapsulated matrices. The research methodology involved the preparation of sodium alginate and starch blend solutions, followed by the encapsulation of MB through the crosslinking process using calcium chloride as a crosslinking agent. Various formulations with different ratios of sodium alginate to starch were prepared to explore the impact of blend composition on the encapsulation efficiency, different size needles, different concentrations of Calcium Chloride, and also different pH releases. The results indicate that the encapsulation efficiency and release study of MB were influenced by the composition of the sodium alginate and starch blends. Higher concentrations of sodium alginate generally led to higher encapsulation efficiency and slower release rates of MB. Conversely, an increase in starch concentration resulted in slower drug release rates. This study contributes to the understanding of the release behavior of drugs encapsulated within sodium alginate and starch blends via crosslinking methods, offering insights into the design and optimization of drug delivery systems using biopolymer matrices. The findings have implications for the development of controlled-release formulations for various pharmaceutical applications.