{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T13:40:32Z","timestamp":1792590032897,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK-ULAKBIM) - DIGITAL COMMONS JOURNALS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Turkish Journal of Chemistry"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigated the effects of different plasticizers\u2014castor oil (CO), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with varying molecular weights (MWs)\u2014on the structure and drug-release performance of low-methoxyl pectin (LM-pectin)\u00a0hydrogels. Theophylline was used as a model drug to evaluate release behavior under physiologically relevant conditions. The incorporation of plasticizers modulated polymer\u2013polymer interactions, swelling behavior, and thermal properties, thereby affecting drug-release kinetics. CO, a hydrophobic triglyceride, created microdomain-induced diffusion pathways; PVP, containing water-affinitive lactam\u00a0units, facilitated moisture-driven plasticization; and PEG (MW 400\/1000\/1500), with hydroxyl-terminated chains, established hydrogen\u00a0bonds with pectin. Structural analyses (FTIR and DSC) revealed that CO disrupted pectin packing, leading to a flexible yet crystalline\u00a0matrix and enabling the highest cumulative drug release. PVP-based hydrogels exhibited enhanced crystallinity and slower release,\u00a0whereas PEG formulations showed molecular-weight-dependent behavior. Kinetic calculations confirmed similar patterns, demonstrating non-Fickian transport for PEG400 and PEG1000 (diffusion associated with polymer relaxation) and an additional diffusion-limited profile for PEG1500 attributed to network densification. Among the methods evaluated, CO improved cumulative release, while PEG1500 and PVP promoted extended, lower-rate delivery. The selection of plasticizers must correspond with the design objective: CO for high cumulative release and PEG1500 or PVP for prolonged, diffusion-controlled administration. These results highlight the critical\u00a0role of the plasticizer type in tailoring hydrogel performance. The LM-pectin formulations developed herein demonstrate potential for\u00a0application in controlled dermal and mucosal drug-delivery systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.55730\/1300-0527.3775","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T20:53:47Z","timestamp":1772398427000},"page":"1-11","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Influence of plasticizer type on the structure and drug release characteristics of LM-pectin hydrogels"],"prefix":"10.55730","volume":"50","author":[{"given":"BANU","family":"KOCAA\u011eA","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"FATMA SEN\u0130HA","family":"G\u00dcNER","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"34691","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"container-title":["Turkish Journal of Chemistry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,21]],"date-time":"2026-10-21T12:53:19Z","timestamp":1792587199000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.tubitak.gov.tr\/chem\/vol50\/iss1\/2"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.55730\/1300-0527.3775","relation":{},"ISSN":["1300-0527"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1300-0527","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]}}}