High-performance azithromycin delivery via chitosan-tryptophan modified polyethersulfone transdermal membranes

Abstract

This study investigates a novel asymmetric polyethersulfone (PES) membrane incorporated with chitosan-tryptophan (CS-W) for enhanced azithromycin delivery in vitro and ex vivo. Key fabrication parameters, including drug concentration (500 mg/L), membrane thickness (300 μm), modifier percentage (1.5 %), polymer percentage (17 %), and pore maker content (2 %), were optimized to improve membrane performance.

The optimized CS-W membrane (M4) achieved a drug release of 407 mg/L, compared to 240 mg/L for the unmodified membrane (M1), using a 500 mg/L azithromycin solution. Cell viability reached ∼80 %, and hemolysis was ∼4.6 %, confirming biocompatibility. The water vapor transmission rate increased by 9.25 %, supporting enhanced moisture handling. Long-term testing confirmed membrane reusability. Also the evaluations showed acceptable antibacterial activity.

The improved performance results from the membrane’s asymmetric structure: a dense top layer ensures sustained release, while a porous sub-layer acts as a drug reservoir. The drug release followed a zero-order kinetic model, making the membrane a promising candidate for sustained drug delivery applications.