SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PECTIN-CARBOXIMETYL CHITOSAN (CMC) MEMBRANE AS DRUG DELIVERY MATRIX FOR CURCUMIN

Abstract

Pectin and chitosan are biomaterials with unique properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical properties, and the capacity for controlled release of drugs. All these characteristics make the material an important candidate for pharmaceutical applications, including drug delivery materials. This study aims to synthesize and characterize a pectin-based membrane modified with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) intended for drug delivery carriers for curcumin. The membrane was prepared by the solvent‐casting method by dissolving powdered pectin and CMC with 1:1 ratio in 2% acetic acid solution and stirring until a homogeneous solution was obtained. The solution was thoroughly printed in polypropylene tubes and then dried at 50°C for 24 h. The pectin-CMC membrane was characterized by FTIR to determine functional groups, XRD to calculate the degree of crystallinity, and SEM to investigate surface morphology. The curcumin loading capacity was subsequently tested by contacting curcumin onto the membrane at predetermined time intervals. The concentration of curcumin was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at λ 426 nm. Results showed that the pectin-CMC membrane was a thin, clear, and homogeneous film. The FTIR characterization showed absorption of peaks at wavenumber 3441.01 cm-1 of OH group, wave number 1604.77 cm-1 of carbonyl group, and wavenumber 1512.19 cm-1 of an ammonium group. The XRD data suggested the amorphous structural formation of the membrane. The SEM characterization demonstrated that the membrane surface was uneven and porous. The optimum contact time of the curcumin loading on the pectin membrane was 60 min with a loading capacity of 28%.