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Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications
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Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 6672

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Winnicka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Bialystok, Kilinskiego 1, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: multifunctional polymers; drug release; drug delivery systems; modified-release formulations; multicompartment dosage forms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Katarzyna Olechno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Bialystok, Kilinskiego 1, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland
Interests: pediatric drug dosage forms; taste-masking techniques; polymer-based drug delivery systems; modified-release formulations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, pharmaceutical technology has focused on drug delivery systems based on multifunctional polymeric materials. Synthetic polymers, biopolymers, and their modified derivatives are widely applied in the biomedical field. They play a significant role in the development of drug dosage forms, acting as carriers for therapeutic substances, providing modified drug release, enabling modifications to already-existing medicines, and masking the bitter taste of active pharmaceutical substances.

It should be emphasized that advances in the medicine and pharmaceutical sciences are constantly leading to new solutions that improve therapeutic outcomes; therefore, designing drug carrier systems based on polymeric materials is an increasingly important area of research. These systems affect pharmacological activity by modulating drug release, enhancing drug bioavailability, or delivering medicines to the site of action in a predesigned manner. Ongoing progress in this area will facilitate targeted drug delivery while minimizing side effects and reducing toxicity profiles. Furthermore, evolving drug delivery technologies will enable the development of many pharmaceutical products that will improve patient health and compliance.

We intend this Special Issue to be a compilation of original research articles, reviews, and short communications focusing on multifunctional polymer utilization in the development of advanced drug delivery systems, combined with a variety of manufacturing techniques. In addition, discussions on scientific achievements in the design of new drug delivery systems and the future direction of drug delivery research related to polymers are also welcome. The main objective of the proposed research theme is to provide broad insights into the development of novel polymeric materials as carrier systems for the effective therapeutic delivery of medicines. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Winnicka
Guest Editors

Dr. Katarzyna Olechno
Guest Editor Assistant

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. Materials 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 2600 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

  • polymeric materials
  • polymer-based drug delivery systems
  • pharmaceutical technologies
  • multifunctional polymers
  • drug–polymer complexation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 7648 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Myrrh Extract Effect on Polylactide and Polypropylene Melt Spun Multifilament Yarn Structure and Properties
by Evaldas Bolskis, Egidijus Griškonis, Mindaugas Marksa, Lina Ragelienė and Erika Adomavičiūtė
Materials 2024, 17(23), 5843; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17235843 - 28 Nov 2024
Viewed by 787
Abstract
Myrrh has unique medicinal properties: it is an anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial material. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ethanolic myrrh extract on the production and properties of modified PP and PLA melt spun yarns. In this work, [...] Read more.
Myrrh has unique medicinal properties: it is an anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial material. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ethanolic myrrh extract on the production and properties of modified PP and PLA melt spun yarns. In this work, multifilament yarns of polylactide (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) containing 10 wt% myrrh resin at different melt-spinning drawing ratios (DRs) were prepared. The results of scanning electron microscopy revealed that the multifilament yarns from polymers covered by myrrh resin extract had a smooth surface without cracks or visible myrrh derivatives. The influence of myrrh resin on the mechanical properties of PP and PLA multifilament yarns was analyzed, and it was found that the presence of myrrh (PP/M, PLA/M) increased tenacity (cN/tex) and decreased the tensile strain (%) of melt spun yarns obtained at different draw ratios (DRs). During optical analysis, it was found that the absorbance of yarns increased in the entire UV region of the spectra, which was most likely determined by the presence of myrrh. The degree of crystallinity and the wetting angle of PP/M and PLA/M multifilament yarns increased compared with the pure PLA and PP multifilament yarns. This study concludes that the presence of myrrh derivatives influences PLA yarns degradation rate and antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications)
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14 pages, 1888 KiB  
Article
Implementing the Design of Experiments (DoE) Concept into the Development of Mucoadhesive Tablets Containing Orange Peel Extract as a Potential Concept for the Treatment of Oral Infections
by Magdalena Paczkowska-Walendowska, Tomasz M. Karpiński, Ewa Garbiec, Michał Walendowski and Judyta Cielecka-Piontek
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215234 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1167
Abstract
This study explores for the first time the impact of chitosan (CS) with varying molecular weights (MW), orange peel extract concentration, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) content on the formulation of buccal tablets for treating oral infections. Utilizing a statistical design of experiments (DoE), [...] Read more.
This study explores for the first time the impact of chitosan (CS) with varying molecular weights (MW), orange peel extract concentration, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) content on the formulation of buccal tablets for treating oral infections. Utilizing a statistical design of experiments (DoE), nine different formulations were evaluated for mechanical properties, dissolution behavior, mucoadhesion, and biological activity. A formulation with high CS MW, 60% orange peel extract, and 8% HPMC, emerged as the optimal formulation, demonstrating superior tabletability, compressibility, and compactibility. Dissolution studies indicated that hesperidin release followed the Higuchi model, with higher extract content enhancing this phenomenon. Mucoadhesion improved with increased HPMC and CS concentrations, although higher extract content reduced bioadhesion. Biological assays showed that higher extract levels boosted antioxidant activity, while CS primarily contributed to anti-inflammatory effects. The optimized formulation exhibited broad antimicrobial activity against key oral pathogens, surpassing the effectiveness of the individual components. Principal component analysis (PCA) further confirmed the significant influence of extract content on tablet properties. These findings suggest that the optimized tablet formulation holds promise for effective buccal delivery in the treatment of oral infections, warranting further investigation in clinical settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications)
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16 pages, 2049 KiB  
Article
Potentiometric Electronic Tongue for the Evaluation of Multiple-Unit Pellet Sprinkle Formulations of Rosuvastatin Calcium
by Patrycja Ciosek-Skibińska, Krzysztof Cal, Daniel Zakowiecki and Joanna Lenik
Materials 2024, 17(20), 5016; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17205016 - 14 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1196
Abstract
Sprinkle formulations represent an interesting genre of medicinal products. A frequent problem, however, is the need to mask the unpleasant taste of these drug substances. In the present work, we propose the use of a novel sensor array based on solid-state ion-selective electrodes [...] Read more.
Sprinkle formulations represent an interesting genre of medicinal products. A frequent problem, however, is the need to mask the unpleasant taste of these drug substances. In the present work, we propose the use of a novel sensor array based on solid-state ion-selective electrodes to evaluate the taste-masking efficiency of rosuvastatin (ROS) sprinkle formulations. Eight Multiple Unit Pellet Systems (MUPSs) were analyzed at two different doses (API_50) and (API_10), as well as pure Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) as a bitter standard. Calcium phosphate-based starter pellets were coated with the mixture containing rosuvastatin. Some of them were additionally coated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, which was intended to separate the bitter substance and prevent it from coming into contact with the taste buds. The sensor array consisted of 16 prepared sensors with a polymer membrane that had a different selectivity towards rosuvastatin calcium. The main analytical parameters (sensitivity, selectivity, response time, pH dependence of potential, drift of potential, lifetime) of the constructed ion-selective electrodes sensitive for rosuvastatin were determined. The signals from the sensors array recorded during the experiments were processed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results obtained, i.e., the chemical images of the pharmaceutical samples, indicated that the electronic tongue composed of the developed solid-state electrodes provided respective attributes as sensor signals, enabling both of various kinds of ROS pellets to be distinguished and their similarity to ROS bitterness standards to be tested. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications)
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25 pages, 17518 KiB  
Article
Solid Dispersions Obtained by Ball Milling as Delivery Platform of Etodolac, a Model Poorly Soluble Drug
by Anna Czajkowska-Kośnik, Iwona Misztalewska-Turkowicz, Agnieszka Zofia Wilczewska, Anna Basa and Katarzyna Winnicka
Materials 2024, 17(16), 3923; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17163923 - 7 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
Poor water solubility of drugs is a limiting factor for their bioavailability and pharmacological activity. Many approaches are known to improve drug solubility, and among them, the physical method, solid dispersions (SDs), is applied. SDs are physical mixtures of a drug and a [...] Read more.
Poor water solubility of drugs is a limiting factor for their bioavailability and pharmacological activity. Many approaches are known to improve drug solubility, and among them, the physical method, solid dispersions (SDs), is applied. SDs are physical mixtures of a drug and a carrier, sometimes with the addition of a surfactant, which can be obtained by milling, cryomilling, spray-drying, or lyophilization processes. In this study, solid dispersions with etodolac (ETD-SDs) were prepared by the milling method using different carriers, such as hypromellose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, copovidone, urea, and mannitol. Solubility studies, dissolution tests, morphological assessment, thermal analysis, and FTIR imaging were applied to evaluate the SD properties. It was shown that the ball-milling process can be applied to obtain SDs with ETD. All designed ETD-SDs were characterized by higher water solubility and a faster dissolution rate compared to unprocessed ETD. SDs with amorphous carriers (HPMC, PVP, and PVP/VA) provided greater ETD solubility than dispersions with crystalline features (urea and mannitol). FTIR spectra confirmed the compatibility of ETD with tested carriers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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30 pages, 20096 KiB  
Review
Core–Sheath Fibers via Single-Nozzle Spinneret Electrospinning of Emulsions and Homogeneous Blend Solutions
by Selin Kyuchyuk, Dilyana Paneva, Nevena Manolova and Iliya Rashkov
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5379; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215379 - 4 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1305
Abstract
The preparation of core–sheath fibers by electrospinning is a topic of significant interest for producing composite fibers with distinct core and sheath functionalities. Moreover, in core–sheath fibers, low-molecular-weight substances or nanosized inorganic additives can be deposited in a targeted manner within the core [...] Read more.
The preparation of core–sheath fibers by electrospinning is a topic of significant interest for producing composite fibers with distinct core and sheath functionalities. Moreover, in core–sheath fibers, low-molecular-weight substances or nanosized inorganic additives can be deposited in a targeted manner within the core or the sheath. Commonly, for obtaining a core–sheath structure, coaxial electrospinning is used. It requires a coaxial spinneret and suitable immiscible solvents for the inner and outer solutions. The single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of emulsions can address these issues, but use of a stabilizing agent is needed. A third approach—preparation of core–sheath fibers by single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of homogeneous blend solutions of two polymers or of a polymer/low-molecular-weight substance—has been much less studied. It circumvents the difficulties associated with the coaxial and the emulsion electrospinning and is thoroughly discussed in this review. The formation of core–sheath fibers in this case is attributed to phase-separation-driven self-organization during the electrospinning process. Some possibilities for obtaining core–double sheath fibers using the same method are also indicated. The gained knowledge on potential applications of core–sheath fibers prepared by single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of emulsions and homogeneous blend solutions is also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Development of Polymer-Based Drug Carriers for Biomedical Applications)
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