Lidocaine release from polycaprolactone threads

Release of Cationic Drugs from Charcoal

The goal of this research is to improve preparation of charcoal adducts in a manner suitable for cationic drug release, possibly using an eco-friendly procedure. Charcoal, widely commercialized for human ingestion, is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in mild conditions. Adducts of a cationic drug (lidocaine hydrochloride, a medication used as local anesthetic) with charcoal are prepared after basification of charcoal and characterized mainly by elemental analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. The drug in the prepared adducts is present in amount close to 30% by weight and can be readily released to both neutral and acidic aqueous solutions. Cation release, as studied by UV spectra of aqueous solutions, is faster in acidic solutions and is faster than for adducts with graphite oxide, which can be prepared only in harsh conditions.

Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Physical and Antimicrobial Properties of Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposites

In this work, biopolymer-based nanocomposites with antimicrobial properties were prepared via melt-compounding. In particular, graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) as fillers and an antibiotic, i.e., ciprofloxacin (CFX), as biocide were incorporated in a commercial biodegradable polymer blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and a copolyester (BioFlex^®). The prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and rheological and mechanical measurements. Moreover, the effect of GnPs on the antimicrobial properties and release kinetics of CFX was evaluated. The results indicated that the incorporation of GnPs increased the stiffness of the biopolymeric matrix and allowed for the tuning of the release of CFX without hindering the antimicrobial activity of the obtained materials.

Methylprednisolone release from agar-Carbomer-based hydrogel: a promising tool for local drug delivery

A number of studies and works in drug delivery literature are focused on the understanding and modelling of transport phenomena, the pivotal point of a good scaffold design for tissue engineering. Accurate knowledge of the diffusion coefficient of an active drug plays a key role in the analysis, prediction of their kinetics and formulation of efficient drug delivery systems. In this work, the kinetics of the release of methylprednisolone from agar-Carbomer hydrogel were studied taking into consideration the different drug concentrations and clearances typically achieved in in vitro or in vivo tests. Starting from the experiments it is possible to model the transport phenomenon and to calculate the diffusion coefficient through the hydrogel matrix.