Optical investigation of diffusion of levofloxacin mesylate in agarose hydrogel.

Real-time electronic speckle pattern interferometry method has been applied to study the diffusion behavior of levofloxacin mesylate (MSALVFX) in agarose hydrogel. The results show that the diffusivity of solute decreases with the increase of concentration of agarose and adapts to Kohlrausch's law. Furthermore, Amsden's model, based on the retardance effect associated with polymer chain flexibility, was employed to simulate the diffusion behavior. The consistent results suggest that the retardance effect dominates the diffusion process of MSALFVX in hydrogel; moreover, polymer chain flexibility greatly affects drug transport within the polymer matrix.