A ter-polymeric semi-IPN has been synthesized by aqueous polymerization of methacrylamide in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and natural polysaccharides starch, and its enzymatic degradation has been Studied in the phosphate buffer medium of pH 6.8 at the physiological temperature 37 degrees C. With the increase in content of enzyme in the external Solution and starch in the hydrogel, the degradation is enhanced while the extent of degradation is lowered with the increase in the amount of PEG in the hydrogel. The initial water content also affects the degradability of the polymer matrix. The degradation follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics and K, was found to be 3.92 X 10(-5) mol dm(-3). The hydrogel exhibits different degradation behavior when studied by "traditional degradation method" (TDM) and "flow through diffusion cell" (FTDC) method. The degraclability is suppressed in FTDC method because of the absorption of arnylase molecules onto filler particles. Finally the nature and size of the filler particles also affects the degradation behavior of hydrogels. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.