A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2000

This study has been done to develop the chitosan membrane system with loading drugs and their sustained release. Some teclrniques have been developed to load salicylic acid in chitosan membrane. The drug loaded chitosan membrane has been characterized for swelling index. The swelling index decreased with the increase degree of deacetylation of chitosan. The release rate of drug from single layer membrane is faster in the first initial half an hour than the later hours. Release of drug from double layer membrane was sustained with increasing the viscosity of chitosan solution. The 100 % release of salicylic acid occurred in 12 hours (235 cps viscosity), in 7 hours (151 cps) and in 2.5 hours (48 cps) from double layer chitosan membrane systems. With increasing the thickness of chitosan membrane, the release of drug was retarded. Sodium alginate membrane over the drug loaded chitosan gave better results than single layer chitosan membrane. Release of salicylic acid through chitosan and sodium alginate membranes were studied. With increasing concentration of calcium chloride used for hardening of sodium alginate membrane release of drug was sustained.