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Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications
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Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2025 | Viewed by 7877

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria D. Rikkou-Kalourkoti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, Frederick University, Nicosia, Cyprus
Interests: polymer synthesis; polymer characterization; stimuli-responsive polymers; polymeric drug delivery systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications” aims to explore the diverse range of polymeric materials utilized in drug delivery systems, addressing their synthesis, characterization, and application in pharmaceutical sciences. It involves research on innovative polymeric platforms for controlled drug release, targeted delivery, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Contributions may include novel polymer synthesis methods, advanced characterization techniques, and comprehensive evaluations of drug delivery systems' performance and biocompatibility. Additionally, this Special Issue welcomes studies on the optimization of polymeric carriers for specific drug classes or disease treatments, as well as investigations into the mechanisms governing drug release kinetics and cellular interactions. Overall, this Special Issue seeks to showcase the latest breakthroughs in using polymeric materials to improve healthcare and make treatments more effective.

Dr. Maria D. Rikkou-Kalourkoti
Guest Editor

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

  • polymeric materials
  • targeted delivery
  • controlled release
  • drug delivery systems
  • therapeutic efficacy
  • polymeric micelles
  • polymer prodrugs
  • smart polymers

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2821 KiB  
Article
Poly(oligoethylene glycol methylether methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) Aggregates as Nanocarriers for Curcumin and Quercetin
by Michaila Akathi Pantelaiou, Dimitrios Vagenas and Stergios Pispas
Polymers 2025, 17(5), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17050635 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 740
Abstract
Amphiphilic statistical copolymers can be utilized for the formulation of nanocarriers for the drug delivery of insoluble substances. Oligoethylene glycol methylether methacrylate and methyl methacrylate are two biocompatible monomers that can be used for biological applications. In this work, the synthesis of linear [...] Read more.
Amphiphilic statistical copolymers can be utilized for the formulation of nanocarriers for the drug delivery of insoluble substances. Oligoethylene glycol methylether methacrylate and methyl methacrylate are two biocompatible monomers that can be used for biological applications. In this work, the synthesis of linear poly(oligoethylene glycol methylether methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate), P(OEGMA-co-MMA), and statistical copolymers via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is reported. P(OEGMA-co-MMA) copolymers with different comonomer compositions were synthesized and characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), 1H-NMR, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Self-assembly studies were carried out by the dissolution of polymers in water and via the co-solvent protocol. For the characterization of the formed nanoaggregates, DLS, zeta potential, and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) experiments were performed. Such measurements delineate the association of copolymers into aggregates with structural characteristics dependent on copolymer composition. In order to investigate the drug encapsulation properties of the formed nanoparticles, curcumin and quercetin were loaded into them. The co-solvent protocol was followed for the encapsulation of varying concentrations of the two drugs. Nanocarrier formulation properties were confirmed by DLS while UV–Vis and FS experiments revealed the encapsulation loading and the optical properties of the drug-loaded nanosystems in each case. The maximum encapsulation efficiency was found to be 54% for curcumin and 49% for quercetin. For all nanocarriers, preliminary qualitive biocompatibility studies were conducted by the addition of FBS medium in the copolymer aqueous solutions which resulted in no significant interactions between copolymer aggregates and serum proteins. Novel nanocarriers of curcumin and quercetin were fabricated as a first step for the utilization of these statistical copolymer nanosystems in nanomedicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications)
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14 pages, 8288 KiB  
Article
Methylene Blue Solid Alginate Gels for Photodynamic Therapy: The Peculiarities of Production and Controlled Release of the Dye
by Anna Solovieva, Alexander Kopylov, Anastasiya Cherkasova, Ilya Shershnev, Vladislav Kaplin, Victoriya Timofeeva, Anastasiya Akovantseva, Marina Savko, Alexander Gulin, Tatyana Zarkhina, Nadezhda Aksenova and Peter Timashev
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2819; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192819 - 5 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1378
Abstract
The purpose of this work is to establish the influence of the nature of solid alginate gels (alginic acid, AAG; calcium alginate, CAG) and the conditions of methylene blue (MB) introduction to alginate matrices upon its release into aqueous media. MB is an [...] Read more.
The purpose of this work is to establish the influence of the nature of solid alginate gels (alginic acid, AAG; calcium alginate, CAG) and the conditions of methylene blue (MB) introduction to alginate matrices upon its release into aqueous media. MB is an active photosensitizer, which is used in the photodynamic therapy of tumors and purulent wounds. Solid alginate gels based on AAG and CAG were obtained by adding hydrochloric acid and calcium chloride to sodium alginate. The dye was introduced into the matrix either at the stage of gelation or by immersing the gel in an aqueous solution of the dye. It has been shown that the strength of the dye’s attachment to AAG is higher than that of CAG, which leads to a higher rate of MB release from CAG into aqueous media. It has also been shown that, when introduced at the stage of gel formation, MB is released into both the water and buffer solutions. When MB is introduced by gel immersion into an MB solution, the dye may be released only into salt solutions. An alginate gel with immobilized MB can be used as a solid photosensitizing system with the controlled release of the photoactive agent into the wound cavity for photodynamic treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications)
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18 pages, 3586 KiB  
Article
A QbD-Navigated Approach to the Development and Evaluation of Etodolac–Phospholipid Complex Containing Polymeric Films for Improved Anti-Inflammatory Effect
by Jangjeet Karan Singh, Simran Kaur, Balakumar Chandrasekaran, Gurpreet Kaur, Balraj Saini, Rajwinder Kaur, Pragati Silakari, Narinderpal Kaur and Pallavi Bassi
Polymers 2024, 16(17), 2517; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16172517 - 4 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1154
Abstract
The current study focuses on development of phospholipid complex-loaded films of etodolac for enhanced transdermal permeation and anti-inflammatory effect. An etodolac–phospholipid complex was developed using the solvent evaporation method and was characterized by DSC, XRD, FTIR, and 1H-NMR studies. The formation of [...] Read more.
The current study focuses on development of phospholipid complex-loaded films of etodolac for enhanced transdermal permeation and anti-inflammatory effect. An etodolac–phospholipid complex was developed using the solvent evaporation method and was characterized by DSC, XRD, FTIR, and 1H-NMR studies. The formation of the complex led to conversion of a crystalline drug to an amorphous form. A stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 (drug–phospholipid) was selected as the optimized ratio. Further, the developed complex was incorporated into films and systematic optimization using a central composite design was carried out using a response surface methodological approach. The desirable design space based on minimum contact angle and maximum tensile strength was selected, while the water vapour transmission rate and swelling index were set within limits. The results for swelling index, contact angle, tensile strength, and water vapour transmission rate were 60.14 ± 1.01%, 31.6 ± 0.03, 2.44 ± 0.39 kg/cm2, and 15.38 g/hm2, respectively. These values exhibited a good correlation with the model-predicted values. The optimized formulation exhibited improved diffusion and permeation across skin. In vivo studies revealed enhanced anti-inflammatory potential of the developed films in comparison to the un-complexed drug. Hence, the study demonstrated that etodolac–phospholipid complex-loaded films improve the transdermal permeation and provided enhanced anti-inflammatory effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications)
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20 pages, 5967 KiB  
Article
Polycaprolactone—Vitamin E TPGS Micellar Formulation for Oral Delivery of Paclitaxel
by Ziyad Binkhathlan, Raisuddin Ali, Osman Yusuf, Abdullah H. Alomrani, Mohamed M. Badran, Abdullah K. Alshememry, Aws Alshamsan, Faleh Alqahtani, Wajhul Qamar and Mohamed W. Attwa
Polymers 2024, 16(15), 2232; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16152232 - 5 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the potential of polycaprolactone–vitamin E TPGS (PCL-TPGS) micelles as a delivery system for oral administration of paclitaxel (PTX). The PCL-TPGS copolymer was synthesized using ring opening polymerization, and PTX-loaded PCL-TPGS micelles (PTX micelles) were prepared via a co-solvent [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the potential of polycaprolactone–vitamin E TPGS (PCL-TPGS) micelles as a delivery system for oral administration of paclitaxel (PTX). The PCL-TPGS copolymer was synthesized using ring opening polymerization, and PTX-loaded PCL-TPGS micelles (PTX micelles) were prepared via a co-solvent evaporation method. Characterization of these micelles included measurements of size, polydispersity, and encapsulation efficiency. The cellular uptake of PTX micelles was evaluated in Caco-2 cells using rhodamine 123 (Rh123) as a fluorescent probe. Moreover, an everted rat sac study was conducted to evaluate the ex vivo permeability of PTX micelles. Additionally, a comparative pharmacokinetic study of PTX micelles versus the marketed formulation, Ebetaxel® (a Taxol generic), was performed after a single oral administration to rats. The results demonstrated that the micellar formulation significantly improved PTX solubility (nearly 1 mg/mL). The in vitro stability and release of PTX micelles in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) demonstrated that PTX micelles remained stable for up to 24 h and significantly slowed the release of PTX in both media compared to Ebetaxel®. The in vitro cellular uptake, ex vivo intestinal permeability, and in vivo pharmacokinetic profile demonstrated that PTX micelles enhanced the permeability and facilitated a rapid absorption of the drug. Conclusively, the PCL7000-TPGS3500 micelles exhibit potential as an effective oral delivery system for PTX. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications)
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23 pages, 18576 KiB  
Article
A Novel Method for the Preparation of Casein–Fucoidan Composite Nanostructures
by Nikolay Zahariev and Bissera Pilicheva
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131818 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1749
Abstract
The aim of the study was to develop casein–fucoidan composite nanostructures through the method of polyelectrolyte complexation and subsequent spray drying. To determine the optimal parameters for the preparation of the composite structures and to investigate the influence of the production and technological [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to develop casein–fucoidan composite nanostructures through the method of polyelectrolyte complexation and subsequent spray drying. To determine the optimal parameters for the preparation of the composite structures and to investigate the influence of the production and technological parameters on the main structural and morphological characteristics of the obtained structures, 3(k-p) fractional factorial design was applied. The independent variables (casein to fucoidan ratio, glutaraldehyde concentration, and spray intensity) were varied at three levels (low, medium, and high) and their effect on the yield, the average particle size, and the zeta potential were evaluated statistically. Based on the obtained results, models C1F1G1Sp.30, C1F1G2Sp.40, and C1F1G3Sp.50, which have an average particle size ranging from (0.265 ± 0.03) µm to (0.357 ± 0.02) µm, a production yield in the range (48.9 ± 2.9) % to (66.4 ± 2.2) %, and a zeta potential varying from (−20.12 ± 0.9) mV to (−25.71 ± 1.0) mV, were selected as optimal for further use as drug delivery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Materials for Drug Delivery Applications)
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