Controlled Release of 5-Fluorouracil from Alginate Hydrogels by Cold HMDSO

摘要

For decades, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) has been the only chemo- therapeutic agent to demonstrate a strong activity against colorectal cancer. However intravenous administration of 5FU mandates the development of an oral controlled delivery system for improved patient compliances. With this rationale, hydrogels comprising polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate were crafted and subjected to cold atmospheric plasma treat- ment by coating with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) using three different carrier gases viz Ar, He and N2. Surface hydro- phobicity ensuing from HMDSO plasma was evident from contact angle goniometry.