Electro-responsive polyacrylamide-grafted-gum ghatti copolymer for transdermal drug delivery application

An application of polyacrylamide-grafted-gum ghatti (PAAm-g-GGH) copolymer for transdermal delivery of an anti-psychotic drug, quetiapine fumerate triggered by electric stimulus was explored. The electro-responsive PAAm-g-GGH was prepared by free radical polymerization underneath nitrogen atmosphere subsequent to alkaline hydrolysis. The PAAm-g-GGH was used as drug reservoir gel and crosslinked films of GGH and PVA as rate controlling membranes (RCM). The reservoir gels were uniform and translucent; pH of gels was 6.56–7.06, which is in the pH range of skin and drug content was from 89.57% to 94.51%. The thickness of RCMs was 163–227?μ; thickness was increased with increased glutaraldehyde concentration and all the RCMs were permeable to water vapors. When electric stimulus was absent, a small amount of drug was permeated from the formulations, while drug conveyance was enhanced in the existence of stimulus. Drug permeation was increased with increase in electric stimulus from 2 to 8?mA. Over two fold increase in flux was observed after application of electric stimulus. Under “on–off” electric stimulus, faster drug permeation was seen under ‘on’ condition and permeation was decreased when stimulus was ‘off.’ Histopathology study confirmed reversible alteration of skin structure under electric stimulus.