Polysaccharide polyelectrolyte complex for hydrophobic drug loading and controlled release

The use of natural-based polymer is currently limited due to its hydrophilic properties. This study investigates durian seed gum for applying a drug delivery system with the combination of chitosan as complex coacervate. The successful synthesis of durian seed gum–chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) occurred through the electrostatic interaction between gum and chitosan, confirmed by the FTIR spectra and H¹ NMR of PEC. The analysis of Zeta Potential also showed the behavior of pH-responsive material, 3.42 mV in pH 2.0 and − 28.8 in pH 7.4. Other characterizations, such as SEM, TGA, DSC, and particle size analysis, were conducted to understand PEC’s characteristics further. The entrapment efficiency of dexamethasone using PEC was greater than 90%, with a high loading content of around 4 mg/gram PEC. The drug release profile from PEC follows the mechanism of polymer swelling and non-Fickian diffusion. The combination of durian seed gum and chitosan as a coacervate greatly enhances the controlled release of hydrophobic drugs. This suggests that durian seed gum–chitosan PEC has promising potential for use in pharmacokinetic research.