Curdlan gels as protein drug delivery vehicles

Abstract

The use of curdlan, a natural β-1,3-glucan, in protein drug delivery vehicles was studied by carrying out in vitro release studies with curdlan gels containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. Addition of urea (8 M) decreased the gel formation temperature to 37 °C. Curdlan was hydroxyethylated in order to form gels under mild conditions such as physiological temperature and pH. In gels formed in 8 M urea solution, urea was almost released after 2 h while B SA was completely released after 45-100 h. The total time for complete release of BSA increased with curdlan concentration within gels. The strength of hydroxyethylated curdlan gels (385.7 dyne cm-2) was weaker than that of curdlan gels formed in 8 M urea solution (6277 dyne cm-2).