Imprinted polymers as drug delivery vehicles for anti-inflammatory drugs

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of employing semi-covalent molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as a controlled release device for ibuprofen and naproxen in biological fluids, especially gastrointestinal ones, compared to non imprinted polymers (NIPs). The carboxyl groups of ibuprofen and naproxen were converted to vinyl ester group by reacting ibuprofen and vinyl acetate as an acylating agent in the presence of catalyst. The semi-covalent molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized by free radical polymerization of vinyl esters derivatives of ibuprofen and naproxen in the presence of methacrylic acid and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. The composition of the cross-linked three-dimensional polymers was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The hydrolysis of drug polymer conjugates was carried out in cellophane membrane dialysis bags and the in vitro release profiles were established separately in enzyme-free simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF, pH 1 and SIF, pH 7.4). Detection of hydrolysis solution by UV spectroscopy at selected intervals showed that the drug can be released by hydrolysis of the ester bond between the drug and polymer backbone in low rate. [Mehrdad Mahkam, Nahid Poorgholy. Imprinted polymers as drug delivery vehicles for anti-inflammatory drugs. Nature and Science 2011;9(5):163-168]. (ISSN: 1545-0740). http://www.sciencepub.net.