Magnetically Controlled Drug Release System through Magnetomechanical Actuation.

Abstract

A drug release system is developed capable to modulate the drug release kinetics by the application of a magnetic field. Thus, this work reports on the production, characterization, and release kinetics of a poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) microporous membrane containing a zeolite (Faujasite) and a magnetic stimuli-sensitive component, magnetostrictive Terfenol-D (TD), for the release of ibuprofen (IBU) as drug model. For membranes containing IBU-loaded zeolites and TD without an applied AC magnetic field, the release kinetics is characterized by a first order release. On the other hand, the application of an AC magnetic field modifies the release profile of the membrane, leading to an increase of the release rate by more than 30%, the magnetically driven release being characterized by a super case-II within the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, indicating a release mainly driven by a swelling or erosion mechanism, induced by the magnetostrictive particles under the applied magnetic field. The increase of the TD w/w from 10% to 20% has as a consequence a decrease in the quantity of IBU released from 79% to 70%; on the contrary, increasing the H AC intensity from 100 to 200 mT promotes an increase on the percentage of IBU released from 67% to 75%.