Design and Development of Nanocomposite Hydrogel Beads From Tamarind Seed Gum and Graphene Oxide for the Sustained Delivery of Betamethasone Dipropionate

Abstract

The application of synthesized hydrogel can be important when using it as a transdermal drug delivery system to prevent skin inflammation. Inflammatory skin conditions are a significant clinical concern that requires an efficient delivery system and interventions. This work explores the use of nanocomposite hydrogel beads made from acrylamide-grafted-tamarind seed gum and graphene oxide as a potential drug delivery vehicle for the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone dipropionate. The ability of hydrogel beads [AAm-g-TSG and GO (5%)] to swell in different pH solutions was investigated, and it was discovered that they were sensitive to pH, with a maximum swelling capacity of 64.3 g/g at pH 7.0. In the FTIR spectrum of AAm-g-(TSG and GO)-BMDP, the bands appeared at 3510 cm^− 1 (O-H), 3385 cm^− 1 (N-H) 1674 cm^− 1 (C = O) 1664 cm^− 1 (N-H bend), and a band at 959 cm^− 1 (C-F) due to stretching frequencies, confirming the formation of hydrogel beads as well as the possible H-bond interaction of the carrier matrix with the drug molecule. The FESEM characterization verified that the nanocomposite hydrogel matrix took on an egg-box-like configuration, which is typical of the ion gelation process. The findings from TGA demonstrated the enhanced thermal stability of the AAm-g-(TSG and GO)-BMDP compared to the AAm-g-(TSG and GO), while the PXRD studies showed changes in the crystalline characteristics following drug incorporation. The hydrogel exhibited potential anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages and good cytocompatibility in HEK293 cells under the tested conditions. The drug loading efficiency of the hydrogel matrix was found to be 86.57 ± 1.2%. Additionally, in an in-vitro model, the nanocomposite hydrogel demonstrated a release of 97.34 ± 1.4% of the loaded betamethasone dipropionate for 36 h, with R² (0.992) conforming to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a swelling exponent of 0.4341.