Polymeric biocompatible structures for controlled drug release

• Published in: Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 9; no. 9; pp. 2917 - 2920
• Main Authors: Zecheru, T, Zaharia, C, Salageanu, A, Tucureanu, C, Rusen, E, Marculescu, B, Rotariu, T, Cincu, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2007
• ISSN: 1454-4164

The purpose of using polymers in drug delivery systems is to be able to create a membrane-like barrier that would control the delivery of the active agent for an extended period. Poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA), when cross-linked, swells to a significant extent. Hence, it was thought necessary to determine its degree of swelling when incorporating methyl methacrylate (MMA), which is a hydrophobic monomer. The polymeric micro-beads of p(HEMA) and functionalised biopolymers of p(HEMA-co-MMA), p(HEMA-co-AA) and p(HEMA-co-MMA-co-AA) were prepared by precipitant polymerisation method. There were obtained different types of micro-polymeric beads, which were characterised by elemental analysis, measure of the degree of swelling, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in vitro tests. All these tests gave satisfactory results.