Oxidized starch/CuO bio-nanocomposite hydrogels as an antibacterial and stimuli-responsive agent with potential colon-specific naproxen delivery

In this work, a series of oxidized starch-based bio-nanocomposites (OS/CuO) were prepared and investigated as colon drug delivery vehicles. The appearance of peaks at 400–800 cm−1 of FTIR spectrum, as well as, peaks at 2θ 35°, 39°, and 49° of XRD spectrum could be a good sign for successful synthesis of the CuO within hydrogel network. The effect of Cu2+ concentration on swelling, NPX loading, and release behavior was examined and the highest value obtained for the C2 sample. Moreover, C4 displayed the highest antibacterial activity. Obtained results indicated that the prepared systems are suitable for use in medical applications.