Poly(anhydride-ester) and poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) blends: salicylic acid-releasing blends with hydrogel-like properties that reduce inflammation

Poly(ester-anhydrides) Derived from Esters of Hydroxy Acid and Cyclic Anhydrides

The alternating architecture and hydrophobic side chains hinder hydrolytic cleavage and anhydride interchange in poly(sebacic acid-ricinoleic acid) (P(SA-RA)), which provides stable polyanhydrides at room temperature. In this report, a series of polyanhydrides were designed to investigate the effect of ester bonds, hydrophobic side chains, phenyl moieties, and their distance from anhydride bonds on their stability and properties. Polyanhydrides with alternating architecture are constructed by the polymerization of ester-diacids prepared from ricinoleic or other hydroxy acids with anhydrides such as succinic, maleic, and phthalic anhydrides. The hydrophobic side chains are designed closer to anhydride bonds to investigate hindrance to hydrolytic cleavage and anhydride interchange. Polyanhydrides were obtained by the activation of ester-diacid using acetic anhydride followed by melt condensation. The reactions were monitored by NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The synthesized poly(ester-anhydride)s with a shorter chain length compared to P(SA-RA) were stable at room temperature. The hydrolytic degradation studies reveal that the phenyl moiety present in poly(ricinoleic acid phthalate) (PRAP) and poly(hydroxystearic acid phthalate) (PHSAP) reduces the hydrolysis of anhydride bonds. Poly(hydroxyoctanoic acid succinate) (PHOAS) demonstrates the highest molecular weight of all tested polymers. The results reveal that the presence of hydrophobic side chains, phenyl moieties, and their distance from anhydride bonds significantly improves the stability. These stable polyanhydrides can provide convenience to use in control drug-delivery applications. The in vitro drug release study using ibuprofen shows that polymers with aromatic units such as PRAP and PHSAP establish sustained release, which presents more than 50 and 40% of ibuprofen over a period of 28 days.

Preparation and properties of polyvinyl alcohol/N-succinyl chitosan/lincomycin composite antibacterial hydrogels for wound dressing

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymeric networks capable of absorbing large amounts of water or biological fluids with the properties resembling natural living tissues. Herein, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/N-succinyl chitosan (NSCS)/lincomycin hydrogels for wound dressing were prepared by the freezing/thawing method, then characterized by FTIR, SEM, and TGA. The compression strength, swelling behavior, water retention capacity, antibacterial activity, drug release and cytotoxicity were systematically investigated. The results showed that the introduction of NSCS remarkably enhanced the swelling capacity, leading to the maximum swelling ratio of 19.68 g/g in deionized water. The optimal compression strength of 0.75 MPa was achieved with 30 % NSCS content.Additionally, the incorporation of lincomycin brought a remarkable antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Specifically, 77.71 % of Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited with 75 μg/mL lincomycin, while the MTT assay demonstrated the nontoxic nature of the composite hydrogels. In summary, this PVA/NSCS/lincomycin hydrogel showed promising potential for wound dressing.

Amphiphilic block copolymer NPs obtained by coupling ricinoleic acid/sebacic acids and mPEG: Synthesis, characterization, and controlled release of paclitaxel

Currently, nanoparticles (NPs) made of amphiphilic block copolymer are still an essential part of drug delivery system. Here, we report a novel amphiphilic block copolymer and paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded copolymer NPs for the controlled delivery of PTX. The block copolymer was synthesized via melt polycondensation method of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG), sebacic acid (SA) and ricinoleic acid (RA). A series of characterization approaches such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), ¹Hydrogen-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H-NMR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) applied have shown that the amphiphilic block copolymer was prepared as designed. NPs prepared by nanoprecipitation method consist of mPEG segments as the hydrophilic shell and RA-SA segments as the hydrophobic core, hydrophobic PTX was encapsulated as model drug. Subsequently, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis indicated that the spherical NPs have effective mean diameters ranging from 100 to 400 nm. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis also revealed the controllable NPs diameter by modulating the mass ratio of RA to SA and drug loading amount (DLA). Besides, biphasic profile with zero order drug release was observed in general in vitro release behaviors of PTX from NPs. Further investigation confirmed that the release behaviors depend on the crystallinity of hydrophobic RA-SA segments. Results above suggest that NPs with amphiphlic block copolymer mPEG-b-P(RA-SA)-b-mPEG have a remarkable potential as a carrier for hydrophobic drug delivery in cancer therapy.

Recent Advances in Polyanhydride Based Biomaterials

This review focusses on recent developments of polyanhydrides, a class of degradable synthetic biopolymers. Polyanhydrides have been used as carriers for controlled delivery of drugs. A polyanhydride copolymer of carboxyphenoxy propane and sebacic acid has been used in Gliadel brain tumor implants for the controlled delivery of carmustine or bis-chloroethylnitrosourea. They are easy and inexpensive to synthesize (especially scale up). However, polyanhydrides possess a short shelf-life. Hydrolytic cleavage and anhydride interchanges lower their molecular weights during storage. One of the highlights in recent developments of polyanhydride chemistry is the discovery of alternating copolymers having extended shelf-life. Other highlights include their applications in biomedical electronics, vaccine delivery, and nano/micro particulate delivery systems. This review examines approaches for polyanhydride synthesis followed by their recent developments in biomedical applications.

Quantification of six potential unspecific human biomarkers of 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone exposure in Sprague-Dawley rat urine using gas chromatography coupled with triple mass spectrometry

RATIONALE

The monomer 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VP) is a substance with excellent solvent features. It is used in a wide variety of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food industrial or technical applications and produced on an industrial scale. Since VP has caused adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavity and liver cell carcinoma in long-term experiments with rats, a human biomarker would be appreciated for risk assessment.

METHODS

A sensitive analytical electron ionization gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) method for the determination of six possible biomarkers for VP in urine was established and validated. Two isotope-labeled internal standards (ISTD) were used for quantification. A simple and easy to use freeze-drying step was performed prior to derivatization with N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoracetamide (MTBSTFA) and following sample extraction for cleanup purposes.

RESULTS

A calibration curve with six calibration standards ranging from 50 μg/L to 2000 μg/L (10-fold higher for H-OPAA) in urine was prepared. Validation results were satisfactory with recoveries ranging from 88.2 to 110.2 % with two exceptions for the lowest quality control for two substances without ISTD (126.4 % and 139.3 %). Three of the substances could be identified as VP metabolites in an exposure study with Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

CONCLUSIONS

A quick and easy to use method has been established for six target molecules investigated for a better understanding of the metabolism of VP. Two of three substances identified as metabolites of VP could serve as a nonspecific human biomarker for VP exposure as shown with an excerpt of an exposure study performed in SD rats.

Physically crosslinked salicylate-based poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels for protein delivery

Physically crosslinked hydrogels were developed via solvent casting methods using a temperature-sensitive polymer, poly( N-isopropylacrylamide- co-acrylic acid), and a therapeutic polymer, salicylate-based poly(anhydride-esters), to concurrently release salicylic acid and bovine serum albumin in a sustained manner. The physical interactions between the two polymer systems were confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The crosslinked polymers were porous, thus able to encapsulate bovine serum albumin (23 wt%) and then released the protein in a sustained fashion over 96 h. Concurrently, the hydrogel releases salicylic acid in a sustained manner up to 120 h. Hydrogel systems were cytocompatible at relevant therapeutic concentrations. These hydrogel systems can be used for simultaneous delivery of salicylic acid and protein to achieve synergic effects.

Sustained, localized salicylic acid delivery enhances diabetic bone regeneration via prolonged mitigation of inflammation

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused by insulin resistance and/or deficiency and impairs bone quality and bone healing due to altered gene expression, reduced vascularization, and prolonged inflammation. No effective treatments for diabetic bone healing are currently available, and most existing treatments do not directly address the diabetic complications that impair bone healing. We recently demonstrated that sustained and localized delivery of salicylic acid (SA) via an SA-based polymer provides a low-cost approach to enhance diabetic bone regeneration. Herein, we report mechanistic studies that delve into the biological action and local pharmacokinetics of SA-releasing polymers shown to enhance diabetic bone regeneration. The results suggest that low SA concentrations were locally maintained at the bone defect site for more than 1 month. As a result of the sustained SA release, a significantly reduced inflammation was observed in diabetic animals, which in turn, yielded reduced osteoclast density and activity, as well as increased osteoblastogenesis. Based upon these results, localized and sustained SA delivery from the SA-based polymer effectively improved bone regeneration in diabetic animals by affecting both osteoclasts and osteoblasts, thereby providing a positive basis for clinical treatments. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2595-2603, 2016.

Alternating Poly(ester-anhydride) by Insertion Polycondensation

We report on a synthetic method where polyanhydride is used as starting material and the ester monomers are inserted through complete esterification, leading to an alternating ester-anhydride copolymer. The molar ratio of ricinoleic acid (RA) and sebacic acid (SA) was optimized until polysebacic acid is completely converted to carboxylic acid-terminated RA-SA and RA-SA-RA ester-dicarboxylic acids. These dimers and trimers were activated with acetic anhydride, polymerized under heat and vacuum to yield alternating RA-SA copolymer. The resulting alternating poly(ester-anhydride) have the RA at regular intervals. The regular occurrences of RA side chains prevent anhydride interchange, enhancing hydrolytic stability, which allows storage of the polymer at room temperature.

A thermo-sensitive supramolecular hydrogel derived from an onium salt with solution–gel–crystal transition properties

A self-assembled supramolecular hydrogel, which not only exhibits thermo-sensitive characteristics but has the property of solution–gel–crystal transition, is obtained by mixing the aqueous solutions of benzoic acid and melamine.

Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of sodium lignosulfonate-grafted poly(acrylic acid-co-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)) hydrogel for drug delivery

Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of sodium lignosulfonate-grafted hydrogel and the sustained release performance of the drug.

Polyactives: controlled and sustained bioactive release via hydrolytic degradation

Significant and promising advances have been made in the polymer field for controlled and sustained bioactive delivery. Traditionally, small molecule bioactives have been physically incorporated into biodegradable polymers; however, chemical incorporation allows for higher drug loading, more controlled release, and enhanced processability. Moreover, the advent of bioactive-containing monomer polymerization and hydrolytic biodegradability allows for tunable bioactive loading without yielding a polymer residue. In this review, we highlight the chemical incorporation of different bioactive classes into novel biodegradable and biocompatible polymers. The polymer design, synthesis, and formulation are summarized in addition to the evaluation of bioactivity retention upon release via in vitro and in vivo studies.