Biocompatible poly(ethylene succinate) polyester with molecular weight dependent drug release properties

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Molecular weight significantly impacts polymer properties, including solubility.
• Controlled drug delivery systems aim to improve drug efficacy and patient compliance.
• Nimodipine, a Ca2+ channel blocker, suffers from poor water solubility and bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of molecular weight-dependent solubility of poly(ethylene succinate) (PES) for controlled drug delivery.
• To encapsulate Nimodipine (NIMO) into PES nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance its solubility and bioavailability.
• To correlate PES molecular weight with NIMO encapsulation, release kinetics, and therapeutic effect.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of PES polyesters with varying molecular weights (4.3–5.05 kDa) via catalyst-free direct polymerization.
• Characterization of PES properties (thermal stability, hydrophobicity) using DSC and contact angle measurements.
• Encapsulation of NIMO into PES NPs using nanoprecipitation, followed by characterization (particle size, crystallinity) using XRD.

Main Results:

• Increased PES molecular weight enhanced thermal stability and hydrophobicity.
• NIMO-loaded PES NPs exhibited spherical morphology (270 ± 103 nm) with reduced NIMO crystallinity.
• PES molecular weight modulated NIMO solubility, stability, and in vitro drug release kinetics, with lower molecular weights enhancing release and higher molecular weights prolonging it.

Conclusions:

• Polymer molecular weight is a critical parameter for tuning drug solubility, stability, and release profiles in PES nanoparticles.
• The developed NIMO-loaded PES NPs demonstrate potential for enhanced bioavailability and controlled therapeutic effects.
• This approach offers a versatile strategy for developing advanced drug delivery systems based on polymer properties.