2022 Annual Meeting
Development of Hydrogels for in Vitro Evaluation of Ocular Drug Permeability
The increase of ocular diseases leading to tremendous social and economic burdens has
created a need for significant improvement in ocular drug therapies. The unique structure of
the eye, however, creates many challenges for delivery of optimal drug concentrations. This
project aims to effectively create hydrogels that can be accurately utilized as an in-vitro model
of the cornea to further promote research on ocular drug delivery. Various hydrogels were
tested: microcrystalline-cellulose/polyvinyl-alcohol (MCC/PVA) formulations consisting of
various concentrations and one chitosan formulation. These hydrogels were split into samples
that followed various crosslinking methods and consequentially, characteristic tests.
Absorbency of the hydrogels were measured using a solution of Rhodamine B and Phosphate
Buffer Solution (PBS). Each hydrogel formulation exhibited a steady constant release rate, with
MCC/PVA (10%) resulting in the highest permeability.
created a need for significant improvement in ocular drug therapies. The unique structure of
the eye, however, creates many challenges for delivery of optimal drug concentrations. This
project aims to effectively create hydrogels that can be accurately utilized as an in-vitro model
of the cornea to further promote research on ocular drug delivery. Various hydrogels were
tested: microcrystalline-cellulose/polyvinyl-alcohol (MCC/PVA) formulations consisting of
various concentrations and one chitosan formulation. These hydrogels were split into samples
that followed various crosslinking methods and consequentially, characteristic tests.
Absorbency of the hydrogels were measured using a solution of Rhodamine B and Phosphate
Buffer Solution (PBS). Each hydrogel formulation exhibited a steady constant release rate, with
MCC/PVA (10%) resulting in the highest permeability.