Synthesis and Assessment of Acacia Gum‐Based Hydrogel as a Promising Novel Biopolymeric Matrix for Delivery of Ciprofloxacin

Abstract In this current study, hydrogels based on acacia gum (AG), polyacrylamide (PAM), and carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG) were successfully developed and ciprofloxacin (drug) incorporated into it. To optimize the hydrogel, the concentrations of crosslinker and initiator were varied, and their effects on the swelling were examined. The hydrogel was subjected to characterization techniques such as Powder X‐ray Diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Attenuated Total Reflection‐Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The hydrogel swelling and in vitro drug release were assessed in pH 1.2 and 7.4 buffer solutions. The findings revealed that an alkaline pH yielded superior results for the swelling and in vitro drug release experiments compared to an acidic pH. The drug release kinetic of the ciprofloxacin‐loaded AG/PAM/CMTKG hydrogel followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, demonstrating non‐fickian diffusion at pH 7.4 and fickian mechanism at pH 1.2. The pH‐dependent behavior of ciprofloxacin‐loaded AG/PAM/CMTKG hydrogel displayed its potential implications for site‐specific ciprofloxacin release.