Abstract
The release dynamics of aspirin(ASP), used as a drug model, from the poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol)/poly(δ-valerolactone) (PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL) hydrogel blend was controlled by varying the blend’s degree of swelling through a gradual loading of Pδ-VL (hydrophobic polymer) in this copolymer matrix. To achieve this goal, a series of PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL blends with different ratios was prepared through the solvent casting method, and the miscibility of this polymer blend was evaluated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electronic microscopy methods. The tests of cell adhesion and growth on the PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL specimens were performed using the 3-(4,5-demethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and the results obtained were the best performance in terms of cell viability, cell adhesion, and growth of the PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL50 material. The dynamic mechanical properties of the prepared material were also examined by dynamic mechanical analysis; the results obtained showed a material having intermediary mechanical properties between those of the two components. On the basis of these characterizations, the blend showing the best performance, such as the PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL50 system, was chosen as a carrier to study the in vitro control of the release dynamics of ASP from the ASP/PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL drug-carrier system when administered orally, in which the influences of the ASP content and the degree of swelling of the PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL blend were investigated. Based on the data obtained and the gastrointestinal transit time reported by Beltzer et al., it was possible to estimate the distribution of the in vitro cumulative ASP released in different digestive system organs regardless of the actions of any enzymes and microorganisms and select the best-performing drug-carrier system.
Highlights
In the past decade the development of new biocompatible and biodegradable polymers has received considerable attention from many researchers working in the biomedical field worldwide [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL blends with different Pδ-VL contents. This figure reveals that the LoVo cell adherence after 24 h of culture was more visible on the blend containing an equal ratio of PE-co-VAL
The specific growth during both the 24 and 48 h culture periods reflected a higher growth rate on this same material compared with the other tested specimens (Figure 1b).The increase in adhesion and growth on the PE-co-VAL/Pδ-VL50 specimen surface is probably caused by an increase in the density of the porosity on the surface of this polymeric system and an increase in its wettability caused by an increase in the hydrogen bonds created between (i) the water molecules and the vinyl alcohol units of PE-co-VAL and (ii) the vinyl alcohol units and the cells
Summary
In the past decade the development of new biocompatible and biodegradable polymers has received considerable attention from many researchers working in the biomedical field worldwide [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Polymers 2019, 11, 439 acid) [14], and other methacrylic-type polymeric prodrugs, have become more attractive in the drug delivery domain. The substances produced from these polymers, when crosslinked, swell in water or aqueous solutions below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and shrink above the LCST. These substances, when fully swollen, have unique properties, such as softness, elasticity, and low interfacial tension with water and biological fluids. Hydrogels based on natural polymers are nontoxic, biodegradable, biocompatible, abundant, and cheap to manufacture. Their poor mechanical properties considerably limit their applications in the biomedical domain. Biocompatible synthetic hydrogels can have excellent mechanical strengths but are expensive and non-biodegradable
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