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Polymers
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Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II
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Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2021) | Viewed by 19802

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Panagiotis Barmpalexis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: drug delivery systems; polyesters; controlled drug release; polymeric solid dispersions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Konstantinos N. Kontogiannopoulos

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: nanotechnology; natural products; drug delivery systems; pharmaceutical technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers, whether synthetic or of natural origin, have played an important role in the development and advancement of pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. In this context, efforts are constantly being made to develop new polymeric materials having exceptional properties for use in medical applications (low toxicity, good biocompatibility, etc.). Within this framework, the current Special Issue (SI) aims to explore the various aspects related to the development and pharmaceutical/biomedical applications of modern advanced polymeric materials. The authors will cover all relevant sections including immediate and controlled drug release, implants, patches, medical devices, dental composites, diagnostics, etc. The scope of this SI is to provide an expert panel with a primary emphasis on addressing the needs and interests of both academic and industrial readers.

Prof. Dr. Panagiotis Barmpalexis
Dr. Konstantinos N. Kontogiannopoulos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • advanced polymeric materials
  • pharmaceutical applications
  • biomedical applications
  • drug delivery systems
  • medical devices
  • polymer theory and modelling

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 6307 KiB  
Article
Drug Amorphous Solid Dispersions Based on Poly(vinyl Alcohol): Evaluating the Effect of Poly(propylene Succinate) as Plasticizer
by Afroditi Kapourani, Artemis Palamidi, Konstantinos N. Kontogiannopoulos, Nikolaos D. Bikiaris and Panagiotis Barmpalexis
Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2922; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13172922 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1920
Abstract
Although significant actions have been taken towards the utilization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in the preparation of drug amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) using fusion-based techniques (such as melt-quench cooling and hot-melt extrusion), several drawbacks regarding its rather high melting temperature and its thermal [...] Read more.
Although significant actions have been taken towards the utilization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in the preparation of drug amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) using fusion-based techniques (such as melt-quench cooling and hot-melt extrusion), several drawbacks regarding its rather high melting temperature and its thermal degradation profile make the use of the polymer extremely challenging. This is especially important when the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) has a lower melting temperature (than PVA) or when it is thermally labile. In this vein, a previous study showed that newly synthesized polyester-based plasticizers may improve the processability and the thermal properties of PVA. However, the effects of such polyester-based plasticizers on the drug’s physicochemical and pharmaco-technical properties are yet unknown. Hence, the aim of the present study is to extend our previous findings and evaluate the use of poly(propylene succinate) (PPSu, i.e., the most promising plasticizer in regard to PVA) in the preparation of drug-loaded PVA-based ASDs. Dronedarone (DRN), a poorly water-soluble API, was selected as a model drug, and drug ASDs (using either neat PVA or PVA-PPSu) were prepared using the melt-mixing/quench cooling approach at low melting temperatures (i.e., 170 °C). DSC and pXRD analysis showed that a portion of the API remained crystalline in the ASDs prepared only with the use of neat PVA, while the samples having PPSu as a plasticizer were completely amorphous. Further evaluation with ATR-FTIR spectroscopy revealed the formation of significant intermolecular interactions between the API and the PVA-PPSu matrix, which could explain the system’s physical stability during storage. Finally, dissolution studies, conducted under nonsink conditions, revealed that the use of PVA-PPSu is able to maintain DRN’s sustained supersaturation for up to 8 h. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II)
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20 pages, 4321 KiB  
Article
Hydrophobically Grafted Pullulan Nanocarriers for Percutaneous Delivery: Preparation and Preliminary In Vitro Characterisation
by Mohammad F. Bostanudin, Eugen Barbu and Kai Bin Liew
Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2852; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13172852 - 25 Aug 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1806
Abstract
Polymeric colloidal nanocarriers formulated from hydrophobically grafted carbohydrates have been the subject of intensive research due to their potential to increase the percutaneous penetration of hydrophilic actives. To this goal, a series of hydrophobically grafted pullulan (BMO-PUL) derivatives with varying degree of grafting [...] Read more.
Polymeric colloidal nanocarriers formulated from hydrophobically grafted carbohydrates have been the subject of intensive research due to their potential to increase the percutaneous penetration of hydrophilic actives. To this goal, a series of hydrophobically grafted pullulan (BMO-PUL) derivatives with varying degree of grafting (5–64%) was prepared through functionalisation with 2-(butoxymethyl)oxirane. The results demonstrated that monodispersed BMO-PUL nanocarriers (size range 125–185 nm) could be easily prepared via nanoprecipitation; they exhibit close-to-spherical morphology and adequate stability at physiologically relevant pH. The critical micellar concentration of BMO-PUL was found to be inversely proportional to their molecular weight (Mw) and degree of grafting (DG), with values of 60 mg/L and 40 mg/L for DG of 12.6% and 33.8%, respectively. The polymeric nanocarriers were loaded with the low Mw hydrophilic active α-arbutin (16% loading), and the release of this active was studied at varying pH values (5 and 7), with a slightly faster release observed in acidic conditions; the release profiles can be best described by a first-order kinetic model. In vitro investigations of BMO-PUL nanocarriers (concentration range 0.1–4 mg/mL) using immortalised skin human keratinocytes cells (HaCaT) evidenced their lack of toxicity, with more than 85% cell viability after 24 h. A four-fold enhance in arbutin permeation through HaCaT monolayers was recorded when the active was encapsulated within the BMO-PUL nanocarriers. Altogether, the results obtained from the in vitro studies highlighted the potential of BMO-PUL nanocarriers for percutaneous delivery applications, which would warrant further investigation in vivo. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II)
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16 pages, 2959 KiB  
Article
Phospholipid-Conjugated PEG-b-PCL Copolymers as Precursors of Micellar Vehicles for Amphotericin B
by Elsa R. Arias, Vivian Angarita-Villamizar, Yolima Baena, Claudia Parra-Giraldo and Leon D. Perez
Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1747; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13111747 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2424
Abstract
Amphotericin B (AmB) is a widely used antifungal that presents a broad action spectrum and few reports on the development of resistance. However, AmB is highly toxic, causing renal failure in a considerable number of treated patients. Although when AmB is transported via [...] Read more.
Amphotericin B (AmB) is a widely used antifungal that presents a broad action spectrum and few reports on the development of resistance. However, AmB is highly toxic, causing renal failure in a considerable number of treated patients. Although when AmB is transported via polymer micelles (PMs) as delivery vehicles its nephrotoxicity has been successfully attenuated, this type of nanoparticle has limitations, such as low encapsulation capacity and poor stability in aqueous media. In this research, the effect of modifying polyethyleglicol-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylethanolamine (DSPE) on the performance of PMs as vehicles for AmB was studied. PEG-b-PCL with two different lengths of a PCL segment was prepared via ring opening polymerisation and modified with DSPE at a post-synthesis stage through amidation. Upon modification with DSPE, a copolymer was self-assembled, thereby producing particles with hydrodynamic diameters below 100 nm and a lower critical micelle concentration than that of the raw copolymers. Likewise, in the presence of DSPE, the loading capacity of AmB increased because of the formed intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonds, which also caused a lower aggregation of this drug. The assessment of in vitro toxicity against red blood cells indicated that the toxicity of AmB decreased upon encapsulation; however, its antifungal action against clinical yeasts was maintained and enhanced, as indicated by a decrease in its minimum inhibitory concentration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II)
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Review

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20 pages, 24169 KiB  
Review
A Review on Xerostomia and Its Various Management Strategies: The Role of Advanced Polymeric Materials in the Treatment Approaches
by Afroditi Kapourani, Konstantinos N. Kontogiannopoulos, Alexandra-Eleftheria Manioudaki, Athanasios K. Poulopoulos, Lazaros Tsalikis, Andreana N. Assimopoulou and Panagiotis Barmpalexis
Polymers 2022, 14(5), 850; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14050850 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 8535
Abstract
The medical term xerostomia refers to the subjective sensation of oral dryness. The etiology seems to be multifactorial with the most frequently reported causes being the use of xerostomic medications, neck and head radiation, and systematic diseases (such as Sjögren’s syndrome). Xerostomia is [...] Read more.
The medical term xerostomia refers to the subjective sensation of oral dryness. The etiology seems to be multifactorial with the most frequently reported causes being the use of xerostomic medications, neck and head radiation, and systematic diseases (such as Sjögren’s syndrome). Xerostomia is associated with an increased incidence of dental caries, oral fungal infections, and difficulties in speaking and chewing/swallowing, which ultimately affect the oral health-related quality of life. The development of successful management schemes is regarded as a highly challenging project due to the complexity of saliva. This is why, in spite of the fact that there are therapeutic options aiming to improve salivary function, most management approaches are alleviation-oriented. In any case, polymers are an integral part of the various formulations used in every current treatment approach, especially in the saliva substitutes, due to their function as thickening and lubricating agents or, in the case of mucoadhesive polymers, their ability to prolong the treatment effect. In this context, the present review aims to scrutinize the literature and presents an overview of the role of various polymers (or copolymers) on either already commercially available formulations or novel drug delivery systems currently under research and development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II)
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19 pages, 9877 KiB  
Review
Investigations at the Product, Macromolecular, and Molecular Level of the Physical and Chemical Properties of a γ-Irradiated Multilayer EVA/EVOH/EVA Film: Comprehensive Analysis and Mechanistic Insights
by Fanny Gaston, Nathalie Dupuy, Nina Girard-Perier, Sylvain R. A. Marque and Samuel Dorey
Polymers 2021, 13(16), 2671; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13162671 - 10 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4483
Abstract
Chemically and biologically safe storage of solutions for medical uses is a daily concern for industry since decades and it appeared even more dramatic during the last two years of pandemia. Biological safety is readily reached by sterilization using γ-irradiation process. However, such [...] Read more.
Chemically and biologically safe storage of solutions for medical uses is a daily concern for industry since decades and it appeared even more dramatic during the last two years of pandemia. Biological safety is readily reached by sterilization using γ-irradiation process. However, such a type of irradiation induces the degradation and the release of chemicals able to spoil the biological solutions. Surprisingly, there are no investigations on multi-layer films combining multi-technique and multi-method approaches to unveil the events occurring during γ-irradiation. Furthermore, our investigations are focuses on properties/events occurring at product, macromolecular, and molecular levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Materials for Pharmaceutical Applications II)
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