title: Polyanhydrides: an overview.
abstract: Polyanhydrides have been considered to be useful biomaterials as carriers of drugs to various organs of the human body such as brain, bone, blood vessels, and eyes. They can be prepared easily from available, low cost resources and can be manipulated to meet desirable characteristics. Polyanhydrides are biocompatible and degrade in vivo into non-toxic diacid counterparts that are eliminated from the body as metabolites. Owing to their usefulness, this review focuses on the development, synthesis methods, structures and characterization of polyanhydrides, which will provide an overview for the researchers in the field. Their in vitro and in vivo degradability, toxicity, biocompatibility and applications are discussed in the subsequent chapters of this special issue on polyanhydrides and poly(ortho esters).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Abraham J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Domb
mesh_terms: D000812:Anhydrides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000812:Anhydrides; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers