Swelling behavior and biocompatibility of Carbopol‐containing superporous hydrogel composites

Carbopol‐containing superporous hydrogel composites (SPHCc) with fast swelling and high swelling ratio were prepared using free radical copolymerization. Swelling behavior of the SPHCc was studied in various salt and pH solutions and their biocompatibility was evaluated using tissue damage and cytotoxicity studies. The swelling ratio of the SPHCc decreased with the increase of Carbopol/monomer ratio and was sensitive to pH and ionic strength of the swelling medium. The release of insulin from the SPHCc was rapid in 0.01M phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). In the jejunum mucosal membrane toxicity studies in rat, no significant morphological damage was observed after application of SPHCc. Besides, no damage of the Caco‐2 monolayers was detected after incubation with SPHCc in the trypan blue and propidium iodide tests. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that the SPHCc might be a safe and effective carrier for peroral delivery of peptide and protein drugs.