Abstract

Chitosan has been chemically modified by treating with two different aldehydes viz acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde to form Schiff's bases. Schiff bases of chitosan with acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde were named as polymer-l and polymer-II, respectively. FTIR confirmed the reaction carried out on chitosan. Chemically-modified chitosan and plain chitosan were compared for the film forming capacity, swelling property and water permeability rate. Further, the films were incorporated with antiasthmatic drug, salbutamol sulphate by mixing with polymer solution during casting. Drug loading and permeation characteristics were compared for plain chitosan and chemically modified chitosan. Films produced were transparent, smooth and flexible without plasticization. Water permeability for chitosan was 1.13X10-4 g.cm2/day. It was found to be 8.10x10-4 and 5.18x10-4 g.cm2/day for polymer-I and polymer-II, respectively. Percentage entrapment of salbutamol sulphate in the membranes of plain chitosan, polymer-I and polymer-II was 1.22, 1.83 and 1.40 mg/cm2, respectively. The time taken for permeation of 50 % of drug (T50) through excised rat skin was 118, 62 and 88 min for chitosan, polymer-l and polymer-ll, respectively.