Antimicrobial Modified-Tragacanth Gum/Acrylic Acid Hydrogels for the Controlled Release of Quercetin

Abstract

In this study, new antimicrobial hydrogels were prepared via reaction of functionalized-tragacanth<br />gum (TG) biopolymer by quaternary ammonium functionalization of TG (QTG) with acrylic acid<br />(AA). Characterization of the QTG hydrogels (QTG-AA) was carried out by FTIR,<br />thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and 1H NMR. Dynamic mechanical analysis, (DMA) was<br />conducted to characterize the mechanical behavior of hydrogels. Swelling behavior of the QTG<br />hydrogels exhibited dependence on the pH, immersion time, medium, and temperature. Loading and<br />in-vitro drug release from the final hydrogels were studied by using quercetin as a model drug. The<br />results exhibited the pH-sensitivity of the hydrogels for drug delivery. The antimicrobial effect of<br />the prepared hydrogels was investigated against some standard microorganisms and the results<br />demonstrated that the hydrogels possess good antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and<br />gram-negative bacteria as well as a fungus.<br /><br />