Development and Characterization of Carboxymethylated Guar Gum-Based Hydrogel for Controlled Delivery of Rosiglitazone Maleate

The present investigation focused on the development and characterization of a carboxymethylated guar gum (CMGG)-based hydrogel system designed for the controlled oral delivery of rosiglitazone maleate. Guar gum was chemically modified through carboxymethylation to enhance its swelling capacity and pH-responsive behavior. The modified polymer was then cross-linked with N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide, glutaraldehyde, and glyoxal to fabricate drug-loaded hydrogel matrices. The prepared formulations were systematically evaluated for entrapment efficiency, swelling behavior under different pH conditions, drug–polymer compatibility using FTIR spectroscopy, thermal characteristics by DSC, in-vitro drug release profile, and in-vivo pharmacokinetic performance assessed through RP-HPLC analysis. All hydrogels demonstrated satisfactory drug entrapment, with the glyoxal-crosslinked formulation exhibiting the highest encapsulation efficiency. Swelling studies revealed pronounced pH sensitivity, with significantly greater swelling at pH 7.4 compared to acidic conditions. A similar trend was observed in drug release behavior, confirming the pH dependent nature of the hydrogel system. The in-vitro release data suggested a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism, indicating a combined effect of polymer relaxation and diffusion-controlled release. Pharmacokinetic evaluation confirmed effective systemic availability of rosiglitazone, achieving a maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of 0.47868 µg/mL at 1 hour post-administration. These findings demonstrate that the CMGGbased hydrogel system possesses desirable physicochemical and release characteristics, supporting its potential application as a promising oral controlled drug delivery platform for rosiglitazone maleate.