Synthesis and functionalization of chitosan built hydrogel with induced hydrophilicity for extended release of sparingly soluble drugs

Addressing the functional biomaterials as next-generation therapeutics, chitosan and alginic acid were copolymerized in the form of chemically crosslinked interpenetrating networks (IPNs). The native hydrogel was functionalized via carbodiimide (EDC), catalyzed coupling of soft ligand (1,2-Ethylenediamine) and hard ligand (4-aminophenol) to replace –OH groups in alginic acid units for extended hydrogel- interfaces with the aqueous and sparingly soluble drug solutions. The chemical structure, Lower solution critical temperature (LCST ≈ 37.88 °C), particle size (Z_h,app ≈ 150–200 nm), grain size (160–360 nm), surface roughness (85–250 nm), conductivity (37–74 mv) and zeta potential (16–32 mv) of native and functionalized hydrogel were investigated by using FT-IR, solid state-¹³C-NMR, TGA, DSC, FESEM, AFM and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The effective swelling, drug loading (47–78%) and drug release (53–86%) profiles were adjusted based on selective functionalization of hydrophobic IPNs due to electrostatic complexation and extended interactions of hydrophilic ligands with the aqueous and drug solutions. Drug release from the hydrogel matrices with diffusion coefficient n ≈ 0.7 was established by Non- Fickian diffusion mechanism. In vitro degradation trials of the hydrogel with a 20% loss of wet mass in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and 38% loss of wet mass in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF), were investigated for 400 h through bulk erosion. Consequently, a slower rate of drug loading and release was observed for native hydrogel, due to stronger H-bonding, interlocking and entanglement within the IPNs, which was finely tuned and extended by the induced hydrophilic and functional ligands. In the light of induced hydrophilicity, such functional hydrogel could be highly attractive for extended release of sparingly soluble drugs.     

Bioerodible system for sequential release of multiple drugs

Because many complex physiological processes are controlled by multiple biomolecules, comprehensive treatment of certain disease conditions may be more effectively achieved by administration of more than one type of drug. Thus, the objective of the present research was to develop a multilayered, polymer-based system for sequential delivery of multiple drugs. The polymers used were cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) complexed with Pluronic F-127 (P). After evaluating morphology of the resulting CAPP system, in vitro release of small molecule drugs and a model protein was studied from both single and multilayered devices. Drug release from single-layered CAPP films followed zero-order kinetics related to surface erosion of the association polymer. Release studies from multilayered CAPP devices showed the possibility of achieving intermittent release of one type of drug as well as sequential release of more than one type of drug. Mathematical modeling accurately predicted the release profiles for both single layer and multilayered devices. The present CAPP association polymer-based multilayer devices can be used for localized, sequential delivery of multiple drugs for the possible treatment of complex disease conditions, and perhaps for tissue engineering applications, that require delivery of more than one type of biomolecule.     

负载抗菌药物的骨水泥的药物释放实验研究

目的 揭示负载抗菌药物的骨水泥的药物释放浓度、持续时间、药物残留程度及低于最小有效抑菌浓度的释放时间,为合理应用抗菌药物提供理论依据。方法 通过对负载盐酸万古霉素和亚胺培南西司他丁钠的骨水泥进行体外洗提实验,采用高效液相色谱法检测分析两种负载抗菌药物的骨水泥的药物释放浓度、释放持续时间和药物残留程度。结果 ①负载抗菌药物的骨水泥第一天药物释放量最大,后逐渐持平,且释放时间较长,释放浓度较低;②截止到第7周盐酸万古霉素、亚胺培南西司他丁释放量分别只占总负载量的15%、25%;③盐酸万古霉素第1周后释放浓度低于最小有效抑菌浓度,亚胺培南西司他丁钠第7周后释放浓度低于最小有效抑菌浓度。结论 载抗菌药物骨水泥存在长时间药物残留现象,是导致持续低于最小有效抑菌浓度的主要原因。此种现象不但对细菌起不到抑菌作用,而且是诱导细菌耐药性的危险因素。     

Diffuse-interface theory for structure formation and release behavior in controlled drug release systems

A common method of controlling drug release has been to incorporate the drug into a polymer matrix, thereby creating a diffusion barrier that slows the rate of drug release. It has been demonstrated that the internal microstructure of these drug–polymer composites can significantly impact the drug release rate. However, the effect of processing conditions during manufacture on the composite structure and the subsequent effects on release behavior are not well understood. We have developed a diffuse-interface theory for microstructure evolution that is based on interactions between drug, polymer and solvent species, all of which may be present in either crystalline or amorphous states. Because the theory can be applied to almost any specific combination of material species and over a wide range of environmental conditions, it can be used to elucidate and quantify the relationships between processing, microstructure and release response in controlled drug release systems. Calculations based on the theory have now demonstrated that, for a characteristic delivery system, variations in microstructure arising due to changes in either drug loading or processing time, i.e. evaporation rate, could have a significant impact on both the bulk release kinetics and the uniformity of release across the system. In fact, we observed that changes in process time alone can induce differences in bulk release of almost a factor of two and typical non-uniformities of ±30% during the initial periods of release. Because these substantial variations may have deleterious clinical ramifications, it is critical that both the system microstructure and the control of that microstructure are considered to ensure the device will be both safe and effective in clinical use.     

Building a polysaccharide hydrogel capsule delivery system for control release of ibuprofen

Development of a delivery system which can effectively carry hydrophobic drugs and have pH response is becoming necessary. Here we demonstrate that through preparation of β-cyclodextrin polymer (β-CDP), a hydrophobic drug molecule of ibuprofen (IBU) was incorporated into our prepared β-CDP inner cavities, aiming to improve the poor water solubility of IBU. A core-shell capsule structure has been designed for achieving the drug pH targeted and sustained release. This delivery system was built with polysaccharide polymer of Sodium alginate (SA), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) by physical cross-linking. The drug pH-response control release is this hydrogel system’s chief merit, which has potential value for synthesizing enteric capsule. Besides, due to our simple preparing strategy, optimal conditions can be readily determined and the synthesis process can be accurately controlled, leading to consistent and reproducible hydrogel capsules. In addition, phase-solubility method was used to investigate the solubilization effect of IBU by β-CDP. SEM was used to prove the forming of core and shell structure. FT-IR and ¹H-NMR were also used to perform structural characteristics. By the technique of UV determination, the pH targeted and sustained release study were also performed. The results have proved that our prepared polysaccharide hydrogel capsule delivery system has potential applications as oral drugs delivery in the field of biomedical materials.     

Application of the copolymers containing sulfobetaine methacrylate in protein separation by capillary electrophoresis

This study describes the formation of highly efficient antiprotein adsorption random copolymer coating of poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide-co-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (poly(DMA-co-SBMA)) on the fused-silica capillary inner wall. Firstly, the poly(DMA-co-SBMA)s with different feed ratio (SBMA/DMA) were synthesized via the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. And then, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle (CA) were used to investigate the composition and hydrophilicity of poly(DMA-co-SBMA) coating formed on the glass slide surfaces. CA measurements revealed that the poly(DMA-co-SBMA) coating became more hydrophilic with the increment of feed ratio (SBMA/DMA), and at the same time, the XPS results showed that the coating ability was also increased with the increment of feed ratio. Followed, the copolymer was applied to coat the fused-silica capillary inner wall, and the coated capillary was used to separate the mixture of proteins (lysozyme, cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, and α-chymotrypsinogen A) in a pH range from 3.0 to 5.0. Under the optimum conditions, an excellent separation of basic proteins with peak efficiencies ranging from 551,000 to 1509,000?N/m had been accomplished within 10?min. Furthermore, the effect of coating composition on protein separation was also investigated through the comparison of separation efficiency achieved by using bare, PSBMA- and poly(DMA-co-SBMA)-coated capillary, respectively.     

Enhancement of solute release from alginate scaffold with embedded sub-millimeter voids

Alginate scaffold has potential use in the controlled release of drugs, and as 3-D structure for the formation of tissue matrix. This article describes the solute release behavior of alginate scaffold that bears embedded voids of sub-millimeter dimensions. Nitrogen gas was bubbled in a fluidic arrangement to generate uniform and self-aligned bubbles in alginate, prior to the cross-linking by CaCl₂. The cross-linked gel was dried in a vacuum oven, and subsequently, soaked in Vitamin B12 solution. The dimensions of the voids immediately after the cross-linking of gel, and also after complete drying were obtained using a digital microscope and the scanning electron microscope, respectively. The porosity of the gel was measured gravimetrically. The release of Vitamin B12 in water on a shaker was studied. For comparison, the experiment was repeated with a scaffold that did not have any embedded void. The enhancements in uptake and release of Vitamin B12 due to the presence of voids are estimated in this article.     

Predictive capacity of histamine release for the diagnosis of drug allergy

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of immediate allergic reactions to drugs is difficult, requiring in vitro test development. Basophils are likely to be involved in these reactions, and to evaluate the sensitivity, the specificity, and the predictive values of the histamine-release test, we performed a prospective study in 68 patients tested for suspected drug allergy. METHODS: Positive diagnosis was established by history, skin tests, and, if needed, oral provocation tests. Histamine release in the presence of the drug was assessed on heparinized whole blood by enzyme immunoassay (Immunotech, France), and the cutoff value was set at 5% of total histamine content. Spontaneous and anti-IgE-induced histamine release was also studied in all subjects. RESULTS: All patients presented to our clinic with reactions ranging from maculopapular exanthema to anaphylactic shock. Thirty-five patients had proven drug allergy; 33 were not allergic to drugs and served as a control group together with 40 other subjects with no history of drug allergy. Net histamine release was positive in 18/35 allergics and 27/73 nonallergics, giving poor sensitivity (51.4%), specificity (63.0%), and positive predictive value (29.3%), but valuable negative predictive value (81.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The usefulness of the in vitro histamine-release test for the diagnosis of drug allergy appears to be insufficient.     

Preparation of pH-sensitive zwitterionic nano micelles and drug controlled release for enhancing cellular uptake

Zwitterionic copolymers have exhibited high resistance to nonspecific protein adsorption and have wide applications in drug delivery systems. Herein, a pH-responsive poly(Lysine-alt-N,N′-bis(acryloyl) diaminohexane) was synthesized through the Michael addition polymerization between N, N′-bis(acryloyl) diaminohexane and lysine. Subsequently, nano micelles (NMs) were formed by self-assembly of the copolymer in an aqueous solution. The NMs showed a slightly negative charge in blood environment, but a positively charged surface in extracellular pH of tumor. This feature could be used to enhance permeability and retention effect, and reinforce tumor cell uptake. Vitro release studies revealed that the release of DOX from the DOX-loaded NMs was evidently faster at pH 5.0 than at pH 7.4. MTT assays revealed that NMs were nontoxic. Thus, these smart NMs were feasible candidates and could be potentially used in cancer chemotherapy.     

Cysteinyl-leukotriene release test (CAST) in the diagnosis of immediate drug reactions

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of allergic reactions to drugs is difficult. Most skin tests are not standardized, and in vitro tests are needed to avoid provocation tests. Cross-linking of IgE on basophils is known to cause the release of both cysteinyl leukotriene (Cys-LT) and histamine. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility (sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency) of measurement of sulfidoleukotrienes in drug allergy. METHODS: We performed a prospective study in 55 patients with proven immediate adverse reactions to drugs (30 to beta-lactams, six to acetaminophen, and 19 to aspirin) and 64 drug-exposed nonallergic controls. Positive diagnosis was established by history, skin tests, and, if needed, oral provocation tests. Cys-LT release was determined after drug-allergen stimulation by the cellular antigen stimulation test (CAST(R)) technique. Histamine release was also assessed on the same samples by enzyme immunoassay. Spontaneous and anti-FcepsilonRIalpha-induced mediator release was also studied in all subjects. Sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency were calculated. RESULTS: Net Cys-LT release was over the maximal threshold given by the manufacturer in 19/55 patients and in 9/64 controls. Net histamine release was over 5% of total histamine content in 28/55 patients and 34/64 controls. The efficiency of both tests was low. CONCLUSION: Thus, in most cases, the in vitro Cys-LT test has little or no diagnostic utility and is not superior to histamine release.     

PEG-g-chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel for implant drug delivery: cytotoxicity,in vivo degradation and drug release

Thermosensitive hydrogels based on chitosan are of great interests for injectable implant drug delivery. The poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted-chitosan (PEG-g-CS) hydrogel was reported as a potential thermosensitive system. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the cytotoxicity, in vivo degradation and drug release of PEG-g-CS hydrogel. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using L929 murine fibrosarcoma cell line. Degradation and drug release in vivo were investigated by subcutaneous injection of the hydrogel into Sprague-Dawley rats. PEG-g-CS polymer exhibits no significant cytotoxicity when its concentration is less than 3 mg mL^?1. After being implanted, PEG-g-CS hydrogel maintains its integrity for two weeks and collapses, merging into the tissue, in the third week. It causes moderate inflammatory response but no fibrous encapsulation around the hydrogel is found. The hydrogel presents a three-week sustained release of cyclosporine A with no significant burst release in vitro and produces the effective drug concentration in blood for more than five weeks in vivo, performing almost the same bioavailability to chitosan/glycerophosphate hydrogel. Further modifications of PEG-g-CS hydrogel might be necessary to modulate the degradation and to mitigate the fluctuations in blood drug concentration.     

Thermosensitive AB4 four-armed star PNIPAM-b-HTPB multiblock copolymer micelles for camptothecin drug release

Thermo-sensitive poly(N-isoproplacrylamide)_m-block-hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-block-poly(N-isoproplacrylamide)_m (PNIPAM_m-b-HTPB-b-PNIPAM_m, m = 1 or 2) block copolymers, AB₄ four-armed star multiblock and linear triblock copolymers, were synthesized by ATRP with HTPB as central blocks, and characterization was performed by ¹H NMR, Fourier transform infrared, and size exclusion chromatography. The multiblock copolymers could spontaneously assemble into more regular spherical core–shell nanoscale micelles than the linear triblock copolymer. The physicochemical properties were detected by a surface tension, nanoparticle analyzer, transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering, and UV–vis measurements. The multiblock copolymer micelles had lower critical micelle concentration than the linear counterpart, TEM size from 100 to 120 nm, and the hydrodynamic diameters below 150 nm. The micelles exhibited thermo-dependent size change, with low critical solution temperature of about 33–35 °C. The characteristic parameters were affected by the composition ratios, length of PNIPAM blocks, and molecular architectures. The camptothecin release demonstrated that the drug release was thermo-responsive, accompanied by the temperature-induced structural changes of the micelles. MTT assays were performed to evaluate the biocompatibility or cytotoxicity of the prepared copolymer micelles.     

Preparation of alginate hydrogels through solution extrusion and the release behavior of different drugs

Homogeneous alginate hydrogels were facilely fabricated through solution extrusion process. CaCO₃ and D-glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) were used as the gelation agents. The slow gelation of alginate was realized by the in-situ release of Ca²⁺ from CaCO₃ particles induced by hydrolysis of GDL to reduce pH. Slight gelation during the extrusion caused the enhanced strength of the alginate solutions, leading to the extrudability of the blends. This method enables to produce alginate hydrogels in a single step via extrusion, which is economically advantageous to conventional lab-scale preparation for mass production. Three different drugs, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and methylthionine chloride, were used as model drugs to evaluate the drug release behavior of the alginate hydrogels. It was demonstrated that the drug release behavior was significantly adjusted by both the drug solubility and the ionic interaction between alginate and the drug molecule. It was shown that solution extrusion process is a feasible method to produce alginate-based drug delivery systems.     

纳米粒子作为药物输送和药物控释体系的应用前景

纳米粒子作为药物和基因的载体显现出极大的潜力并被广泛研究。纳米粒子的超微小体积可使药物输送智能化,例如靶向定位地将药物投递到病灶局部或专一性地作用于靶细胞。纳米粒子的载体材料可屏蔽药物不良气味、维持药物长期缓慢释放、延长药物半衰期和减小毒副作用等。本文将从纳米药物输送、控释制剂的制备和应用前景等方面进行综述。     

Modelling of sustained release of water-soluble drugs from porous,hydrophobic polymers

The release behaviour of water-soluble drugs from hydrophobic, porous polymeric matrices is complicated by the dissolution of the drug in the water-filled pores under quiescent conditions. Mathematical models are presented for drug release above and below the solubility limit of the drug in the dissolution medium, for constant void fraction (porosity). Experimental studies of KCI release from porous ethyl cellulose tablets in water at 37°C are explained in terms of dissolution-controlled and diffusion-controlled steps of the release mechanism.     

Dual controlled release nanomicelle-in-nanofiber system for long-term antibacterial medical dressings

Long-term antibacterial medical dressings can prevent infection as skin wounds heal. In this study, we used the hydrophobic antibacterial drug amoxicillin as a model to prepare drug-loaded nanomicelles using a film dispersion–hydration method, and drug-loaded nanomicelles were coaxially electrospun into nanofiber to create a novel nanomicelle-in-nanofiber (NM-in-NF) drug delivery system. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the morphology of nanomicelles and nanofibers. Thermal property of as-prepared samples was tested using differential scanning calorimetry. The drug release behavior, cytotoxicity, and antibacterial properties of NM-in-NFs were examined in vitro to evaluate the system’s potential to be used in the treatment of skin wounds. Experimental results indicated that the novel NM-in-NF system had dual controlled release effect, which greatly reduced burst release and prolonged effective drug duration. Moreover, NM-in-NFs was also found to be safe and non-toxic, with a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. It thus could potentially be used in long-term antibacterial medical dressings to treat skin wounds.     

Preparation and drug controlled release of porous octyl-dextran microspheres

In this work, porous octyl-dextran microspheres with excellent properties were prepared by two steps. Firstly, dextran microspheres were synthesized by reversed-phase suspension polymerization. Secondly, octyl-dextran microspheres were prepared by the reaction between dextran microspheres and ethylhexyl glycidyl ether and freezing-drying method. Porous structure of microspheres was formed through the interaction between octyl groups and organic solvents. The structure, morphology, dry density, porosity and equilibrium water content of porous octyl-dextran microspheres were systematically investigated. The octyl content affected the properties of microspheres. The results showed that the dry density of microspheres decreased from 2.35 to 1.21 g/ml, porosity increased from 80.68 to 95.05% with the octyl content increasing from 0.49 to 2.28 mmol/g. Meanwhile, the equilibrium water content presented a peak value (90.18%) when the octyl content was 2.25 mmol/g. Octyl-dextran microspheres showed high capacity. Naturally drug carriers play an important role in drug-delivery systems for their biodegradability, wide raw materials sources and nontoxicity. Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as a drug model to examine the drug-loading capacity of porous octyl-dextran microspheres. The drug-loading efficiency increased with the increase in microspheres/drug ratio, while the encapsulation efficiency decreased. When microspheres/drug mass ratio was 4/1, the drug-loading efficiency and encapsulation efficiency were 10.20 and 51.00%, respectively. The release rate of DOX increased as drug content and porosity increased. In conclusion, porous octyl-dextran microspheres were synthesized successfully and have the potential to serve as an effective delivery system in drug controlled release.     

Macroporous poly(sucrose acrylate) hydrogel for controlled release of macromolecules

We have studied the controlled release of proteins from poly(sucrose acrylate) hydrogels. The hydrogels were prepared by a two-step procedure in which sucrose was first acylated to sucrose-1′-acrylate followed by free radical polymerization. By adjusting the cross-link ratio and initial monomer concentration, the swelling ratio of the hydrogel was varied from five to 28. The mechanical strength of these hydrogels was comparable to that of other hydrogels with approximately the same swelling ratio. Scanning electron micrographs and mesh size calculations indicate that the hydrogel is macroporous, suggesting it may be suitable for a variety of biomedical applications. The release kinetics of β-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin and γ-globulin were studied as a function of initial monomer concentrations for the sucrose-based hydrogel. All of the release profiles were characterized by an initial burst of protein in the first 25 h followed by a long period of sustained release (s> 500 h). The magnitude of the initial burst was reduced by increasing the initial monomer concentration and by increasing the molecular weight of the protein. A quantitative model based on the heterogeneous nature of the hydrogel was developed to explain the observed release kinetics.     

The control of cargo release from physically crosslinked hydrogels by crosslink dynamics

Controlled release of drugs and other cargo from hydrogels has been an important target for the development of next generation therapies. Despite the increasingly strong focus in this area of research, very little of the published literature has sought to develop a fundamental understanding of the role of molecular parameters in determining the mechanism and rate of cargo release. Herein, a series of physically crosslinked hydrogels have been prepared utilizing host-guest binding interactions of cucurbit[8]uril that are identical in strength (plateau modulus), concentration and structure, yet exhibit varying network dynamics on account of the use of different guests for supramolecular crosslinking. The diffusion of molecular cargo through the hydrogel matrix and the release characteristics from these hydrogels were investigated. It was determined that the release processes of the hydrogels could be directly correlated with the dynamics of the physical interactions responsible for crosslinking and corresponding time-dependent mesh size. These observations highlight that network dynamics play an indispensable role in determining the release mechanism of therapeutic cargo from a hydrogel, identifying that fine-tuning of the release characteristics can be gained through rational design of the molecular processes responsible for crosslinking in the carrier hydrogels.     

Modelling of drug release kinetics from a laminated device having an erodible drug reservoir

The purpose of this communication is to present a preliminary analysis to demonstrate the effect of laminating a drug-containing erodible polymer matrix with a second barrier membrane. A mathematical model for the diffusive release of the drug from an erodible polymer device undergoing surface erosion has been extended to similar devices with a secondary membrane to allow a comparison of the results. The results indicate that the constant rate of release characteristic of erodible devices is not sacrificed with the addition of the secondary membrane; moreover, the membrane provides additional controllable parameters at the disposal of the device designer.