Polymeric drug delivery advantages

In this brief overview some considerations with respect to the biological system vis-a-vis polymeric drug delivery have been qualitatively presented. Delivery systems can be designed to either overcome a barrier or take advantage of a property associated with a route of administration. Once introduced into a biological system, a delivery system s operation must be consistent with the operation of the biological system to achieve the desired goal based on temporal release pattern. 

Synthetic pol)mieric materials have been widely used in medical disposable supply, prosthetic materials, dental materials, implants, dressings, extracorporeal devices, encapsulants, polymeric drug delivery systems, tissue engineered products, and orthodoses as that of metal and ceramics substituents [Lee, 1989]. The main advantages of the polymeric biomaterials compared to metal or ceramic materials are ease of manufacturability to produce various shapes (latex, film, sheet, fibers, etc.), ease of secondary processability, reasonable cost, and availability with desired mechanical and physical properties. The required properties of polymeric biomaterials are similar to other biomaterials, that is, biocompatibility, sterilizability, adequate mechanical and physical properties, and manufacturability as given in Table 40.1. 

Polymers containing labile groups present an advantageous opportunity to develop redox-responsive biodegradable systems. Disulfide linkages have been broadly applied in reduction-responsive polymeric drug delivery systems [117]. In fact. 

In this review efflux pump inhibitors are classified into two groups low molecular mass inhibitors and polymeric inhibitors, because the high molecular mass of the polymeric excipients prevents absorption into systemic circulation after oral administration. In some cases, just a local inhibition of efflux transporters in the intestine is desired, whereas in other cases also an additional systemic modulation of efflux pumps can be of advantage. For chronical treatments, impact on the complex systemic efflux transporter system can result in severe complications. In this case, an enhanced intestinal absorption of efflux pump substrates can be achieved by using drug delivery systems based on polymeric inhibitors. On the other hand, in cancer therapy it would be of advantage to reduce efflux of anticancer compounds also in the systemic system because tumour tissues often overexpress these transporters. Then a low molecular mass efflux inhibitor could be useful. 

Applications of polymerization in a supercooled state to the immobilization of various biofunctional components is reviewed. Those applications show advantages because in the low temperature biofunctional components such as proteins, drugs and cells are entrapped or adhered effectively in the polymerized matrix. The immobilized composites are used for biomedical and biochemical systems and processes, such as immuno-diagnosis, artificial organs, drug delivery systems and cell cultures. 

The microparticle system has become an indispensable part of the controlled drug delivery fields for the past few decades since it can readily be adapted for various administration methods. In particular, biodegradable polymeric microparticles can provide a number of advantages over conventional parenteral formulations ... 

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