title: Degradation behaviour in vitro for poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) as drug carrier.
abstract: Biodegradable polymers have been extensively investigated because of regulating drug release rate easily, obviating the need to remove the device, and good biocompatibility. Among the biodegradable polymers currently under investigation, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) copolymers are the most widely studied because of their long history of safe clinical use as drug carrier. 50 : 50 PLGA was used as a model degradable polymer in this study to investigate the degradation behaviour on drug release from bulk degradable polymers in vitro. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was used as a model drug. Molecular weight change, residual mass, water uptake, morphological change of PLGA wafers, and pH of release test medium were characterized to investigate the effect of polymer degradation on drug release. The release rate of 5-FU increased with the increase of 5-FU loading amount and the release profiles of 5-FU irrespective of 5-FU loading amount followed near first order release kinetics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Organic Materials Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 664-14, Duckjin Gu, Jeonju 561-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gang Soo
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Moon Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun Hang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hai Bang
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gilson
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khang
mesh_terms: D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004058:Diffusion; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers; D014867:Water; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005472:Fluorouracil