Drug Delivery from Stimuli-Responsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide)/Chitosan Core/Shell
Andrés Ortega-García1, Bryan Giovanny Martínez-Bernal1, Israel Ceja2
1Chemical Engineering Department, University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering (CUCEI), University of Guadalajara (UdG), Guadalajara 44100, Jalisco, Mexico.
Polymers
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Stimulus-responsive nanohydrogels were synthesized for drug delivery. These core/shell nanohydrogels exhibit a tunable volume phase transition temperature (TVPT) for targeted drug release in the human body.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Stimulus-responsive materials offer potential for targeted drug delivery.
- Chitosan (CS) is a biocompatible polymer with potential for drug encapsulation.
- Core/shell nanohydrogels can provide controlled release of therapeutic agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize core/shell nanohydrogels responsive to physiological temperatures.
- To investigate the drug loading and release kinetics of doxycycline hyclate from these nanohydrogels.
- To tailor the volume phase transition temperature (TVPT) for infection-related temperature ranges.
Main Methods:
- Batch emulsion polymerization using poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide)/chitosan.
- Fox equation for monomer ratio estimation.
- Gravimetry, quasi-elastic light scattering (QLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and FTIR for characterization.
- Drug release studies at different pH values and temperatures.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of core/shell nanohydrogels with tunable TVPT between 38-40 °C.
- Confirmation of core/shell structure and presence of all components via TEM and FTIR.
- Doxycycline hyclate release was higher at acidic pH (2.0) compared to neutral pH (7.4) at TVPT.
- Drug release data fitted to mathematical models.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized nanohydrogels are suitable for drug delivery applications due to their tunable thermal responsiveness.
- The pH-dependent drug release profile suggests potential for targeted delivery in specific physiological environments.
- Further investigation into mathematical modeling can optimize drug release predictions.
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