Production and characterization of hard-shell capsules from carrageenan-alginate with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) plasticizer as drug carrier.

Drug delivery carrier is a mechanism used to distribute drugs into the body. Drug delivery carrier which is widely used in drug delivery are capsules. Carrageenan-alginate is a vegetable polymer that is expected to be a substitute for gelatin in making capsules. The purpose of this research is to prepare,and characterize carrageenan-alginate hard-shell capsules with polyethylene glycol plasticizers as drug delivery carrier materials. Hard-shell capsules were made from carrageenan-alginate and PEG copolymers with variations in the volume of 0.5 ml (CAP1), 1.0 ml (CAP2), 1.5 ml (CAP3), and 2.0 ml (CAP4). Hard-shell capsules characterization includes swelling, tensile, dissolution, disintegration, kinetic, Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) tests. The hard-shell capsules with the most optimum mechanical properties were CAP3 capsules with % swelling of 413.2%, stress values of 101.4 Mpa, strain values of 0.27, and young modulus of 1297.9 Mpa. Dissolution results showed that the salicylamide drug was distributed 11% in buffer phosphate at the 120th minute. Disintegration results for 37 minutes. FTIR results show there are hydrogen bonds between carrageenan, alginate, and PEG. SEM results showed the hard-shell capsules had a smooth and porous surface morphology and cross-section, which was an average of 4.949 µm. The most linear release kinetic test results using the Higuchi model at pH 6.8 with reaction rate constants of 1.002 M.s−1/2 and R2 = 0.967, so that the Carrageenan-alginate copolymer hard-shell capsules with PEG plasticizers can be used as controlled release drug delivery carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]