title: Immobilization of drugs for glaucoma treatment.
abstract: Recently there have been some developments in the preparation of controlled drug delivery systems for glaucoma. Many materials are being used in this area, namely gelatine and chitosan. Both of them present high levels of biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this paper, we wish to report the work we have been doing on the preparation and characterization of hydrogels based on gelatine and chitosan. The crosslinking agents used were 1-(3-(Dimethylamino)propyl)-3-Ethylcarbodiimide hydrocholide (CDI), 1,4-Butanodiol diglycidyl ether (epoxyde 1), Ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (epoxyde 2) and genipin. The results obtained showed that all of the films were hydrogels. The surface and transversal cut showed a porous surface in all the films. The thermal analysis proved the modifications in the polymeric chains, with the stabilization of all of them by the crosslinking agents. The release pattern indicates that the gelatine films were the best since they release the adequate proportion of drug. Finally, the cytotoxicity showed that the gelatine films were all biocompatible, specially the ones crosslinked with one of the Epoxydes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade de Coimbra, Polo II, Rua Sílvio Lima, Coimbra 3030-790, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jose Filipe
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Anabela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Cristina M S G
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.forename: Eugénio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D019556:COS Cells; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048271:Chitosan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005780:Gelatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides; D039823:Iridoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008422:Materials Testing; D008954:Models, Biological; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D057889:Iridoid Glycosides; D039823:Iridoids; D005780:Gelatin; D048271:Chitosan; C007834:genipin