PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISATION OF POLYMER CONJUGATES OF EFAVIRENZ CHITOSAN, TENOFOVIR CHITOSAN AND DOLUTEGRAVIR ALGINATE

Ogira Johnson Ogwuche, Onah Johnson O., Odumosu Patricia O.

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose:
Chitosan nanofibrils are promising scaffold materials for biomedical applications
while alginate is mixed with other polymers to improve the biological properties as they are good for molding with
a suitable biological nature. The a im of the study is to characterise the physicochemical properties of the three anti
retroviral drug polymer conjugates of chitosan and alginate. Method: Conjugates of Efavirenz, Tenofovir and
Dolutegravir were analysed by determining the stability profile using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X
ray Diffraction (XRD) and Buffer hydrolysis. Result: The DSC Profile of Efavirenz chitosan showed an
endothermic peak at 138 c indicating conjugation and retention of the integrity of the polymer while that of
Tenofovir chitosan and Dolutegravir Alginate showed endothermic peaks at 180 c and 258.12 c respectively.
Buffer hydrolysis studies gave a drug release rate at half lives of 4.1 hr, 5.1 hr and 7.5 h respectively and XRD
results indicated the Stability o f the polymer when conjugated with the drug with broad and sharp peak at 2θ =
22.5°, 20° &24° and 19.5°&23.5° for Efavirenz chitosan, Tenofovir chitosan and Dolutegravir Alginate
respectively. Conclusion: The three antiretroviral drugs were successfully co njugated to the polymers and the
stability profile showed that the polymers were intact after conjugation.

Keywords: Efavirenz, Tenofovir, Dolutegravir, Chitosan, Alginate, DSC, XRD and Buffer hydrolysis