Fabrication and characterization of pH‐responsive poly (methacrylic acid)‐based molecularly imprinted polymers nanosphere for controlled release of amitriptyline hydrochloride

Abstract

AbstractAmitriptyline hydrochloride (AT) is a drug used especially for depression and migraines. In this study, new molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared as a drug carrier for AT to increase the half‐life of the drug and consequently reducing drug‐related problems. MIPs synthesized by precipitation polymerization method. Methacrylic acid (MAA) as a monomer and Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) as a cross‐linker were used for polymerization. To obtain optimized properties for MIPs, the effect of crucial parameters including solvent variety, solvent ratios, different molar ratios of AT:MAA: TRIM, the impact of time and concentration of the drug solution on loading efficiency was studied. The prepared samples were structurally characterized by FT‐IR, FE‐SEM, TGA, DSC, DLS, and BET to confirm the optimization of MIPs. Also, in‐vitro drug release has been carried out in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH = 7.4) by measuring the absorbance at λ max = 239 nm by UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The results showed that the synthesized nanosphere particles presented uniform surface morphology and high thermal resistance characteristics. Besides, MIPs have uniform distribution sites molecular with nano‐sized particles, which is ideal for drug delivery. Kinetic study on prepared samples showed that the MIPs were fitted by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, release study presented that the MIP2 and MIP8 presented more controlled release compared to the other samples. The obtained data confirmed the designed carriers satisfactorily meet the requirements in sustained and controlled drug delivery applications.