Degradable polymers synthetic

Synthetic degradable polymers investigated for controlled drug delivery applications include ... 

Several examples of biodegradable blends comprising either natural or synthetic degradable polymer are listed, respectively, in Tables 16.11 and 16.12 [Utracki, 1998]. 

Aliphatic polyesters Poly(L-lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), PLGA co-pol3Tners Polyfglycolic acid), polyflactic acid), and their co-polymers are the most widely used synthetic degradable polymers in medicine. 

Although the focus of this book is on the synthetic degradable polymers, in this chapter, we wiU give an overview of the synthetic as well as natural polymers used for various biomedical applications. The subsequent chapters will discuss in detail the synthesis and processing methodologies of the synthetic polymers. 

The advantages connected with the use of material from renewable resources as filler in blends with synthetic degradable polymers have promoted the interest for a wide series of polymers from non-food crops or over production, such as lignocellulosic materials, pectin, proteins, and oils from vegetal sources. 

Poly (glycolic acid) (PGA), poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and their copolymers are the most widely investigated and used synthetic degradable polymers for biomedical applications [331]. They are discussed further in Chapters 5 and 11 of this book. 

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