Synthesis and characterization of pH and temperature sensitive biocompatibles hydrogels for controlled active principles delivery

• Grant number: 13/22537-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Simone de Fátima Medeiros Sampaio
• Grantee: Davi Éber Sanches de Menezes
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Several techniques have been studied to reduce the side effects caused by various medical treatments, of which the main ones involve the use of shell materials in order to protect and carry drugs safely up to the desired locations, starting then drug delivery by material degradation or changes in its conformation. Among the most widely used materials for this purpose, biocompatible polymers in its various forms (linear chains, hydrogels, micro and nanoparticles, etc.) are gaining prominence. The drugs incorporation into polymeric hydrogels that present volume variations when in aqueous medium is an interesting alternative to modify the release kinetics of various active principles. This volume change may be caused by varying parameters of the environment, such as temperature or pH, resulting in changes on interactions between macro-chains. To obtain these hydrogels, numerous methods are described in the literature, which is based mainly on the use of physical or chemical cross-linker agents. However, for the preparation of these hydrogels for biomedical applications in controlled drugs delivery systems, the selection of all materials must be done carefully, taking into account all its properties. Furthermore, all reagents used in the synthesis must be biocompatible, i.e., should not disturb the normal functions of the living organism. For these reasons already mentioned, this scientific initiation research project proposes obtaining stimuli sensitive hydrogels based on poly (N-vinylcaprolactam-co-itaconic acid) (poly (NVCL-co-AI)) via precipitation polymerization using chemical cross-linker agent biocompatible (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, EGDMA) as well as the encapsulation of a hydrophobic drug, generically known as ketoprofen, on these polymeric network and studying its release kinetics in vitro. (AU)