Agustina Ari Murti Budi Hastuti, Khadijah Zai, Puput Risdanareni, Rahmi Karolina, Irfan Mustafa
Functional food components are vital for preserving health and avoiding illnesses by supplying necessary nutrients and maintaining physiological equilibrium. Nevertheless, the efficient distribution of these substances is impeded by obstacles such as limited solubility and stability, particularly in the gastrointestinal system. Integrating these elements into hydrogel beads offers a viable approach to improve their absorption. This work investigated the synthesis of hydrogel beads by combining four natural polymers: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), alginate, chitosan, and guar gum. The hydrogel was formed by crosslinking aided with calcium chloride. The hydrogels were characterized by swelling tests, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Experiments conducted using simulated gastric and intestinal fluids showed that some formulations are appropriate for delivering nutrients to certain parts of the gastrointestinal tract. The FTIR analysis revealed clear characteristics of each polymer and their combinations in the hydrogel compositions. The hydrogel beads' morphological features were revealed by SEM imaging. This work offers valuable information on how to develop hydrogels as carriers for effectively delivering nutrients into the gastrointestinal system. It also proposes potential areas for further investigation in integrating active substances into hydrogel matrices. © 2024 by Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy (IJP).
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Center of Excellence Institute for Halal Industry and Systems (PUI-PT IHIS), Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia; Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Malang, Semarang Street 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia; Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, Indonesia