The Influence of Polymer on Fe(II)Citrate Release from Hybrid Materials Synthesized via Sol–Gel

An ideal drug delivery system is developed to provide the therapeutic amount of a drug at the appropriate site in the body and to maintain the desired drug concentration. Interactions between drugs and the sol–gel system can affect the rate of release. The aim of this work is the synthesis of iron(II)-based therapeutic systems. The use of oral iron integration is commonly recommended for the treatment of iron deficiency; nevertheless the diagnosis and treatment of this disease can clearly be improved. The hybrids are synthesized by sol–gel method. In an SiO2 matrix, different weight percentages of polyethylene glycol (PEG6,12,24 wt%) and ferrous citrate (Fe(II)C5,10,15 wt%) are incorporated for drug delivery applications. The interactions among different components in the hybrid materials are evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In order to quantify the release kinetics, the hybrids are soaked in a simulated body fluid, for different time points, and the amount of Fe2+ released in from several materials is detected by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy after reaction with ortho-phenanthroline.