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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
A Systematic Study of Molecular Interactions of Anionic Drugs with a Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Wiebke Saal1,2, Alfred Ross3, Nicole Wyttenbach3
1Institute of Pharma Technology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , Gründenstrasse 40, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The methacrylate-copolymer Eudragit EPO (EPO) has raised interest in solubility enhancement of anionic drugs. Effects on aqueous drug solubility at rather low polymer concentrations are barely known despite their importance upon dissolution and dilution of oral dosage forms. We provide evidence for substantial enhancement (factor 4-230) of aqueous solubility of poorly water-soluble anionic drugs induced by low (0.1-5% (w/w)) concentration of EPO for a panel of seven acidic crystalline drugs. Diffusion data (determined by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) indicate that the solubility increasing effect monitored by quantitative ultraperformance liquid chromatography was caused primarily by molecular API polymer interactions in the bulk liquid phase. Residual solid API remained unaltered as tested by X-ray powder diffraction. The solubility enhancement (SE) revealed a significant rank correlation (rSpearman = -0.83) with rDiffAPI, where SE and rDiffAPI are defined ratios of solubility and diffusion coefficient in the presence and absence of EPO. SE decreased in the order of indomethacin, mefenamic acid, warfarin, piroxicam, furosemide, bezafibrate, and tolbutamide. The solubilizing effect was attributed to both ionic and hydrophobic interactions between drugs and EPO. The excellent solubilizing properties of EPO are highly promising for pharmaceutical development, and the data set provides first steps toward an understanding of drug-excipient interaction mechanisms.
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