Sustained release of mitomycin-C from poly(DL-lactide) /poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) films

Mitomycin-C (MMC)-loaded poly(DL-lactide) (PLA)/poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) films which have different drug loading capacities and thicknesses were prepared by a solvent-evaporation technique. Degradation and release studies were conducted at 37 degrees C in pH 7.4 phosphate buffered saline. The results showed that both the rate and the percentage of released MMC increased as the glycolide content in the copolymer increased from 10 to 30% (w/w) and the drug load increased from 0.5 to 2 mg MMC per 300 mg of polymer. In contrast, they decreased depending upon increasing film thickness from 80 to 300 microm and polymer molecular weight. It was found that the drug release mechanism is diffusion-controlled according to a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism.