title: Poly(methyl methacrylate) particulate carriers in drug delivery.
abstract: Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is one of the most widely explored biomedical materials because of its biocompatibility, and recent publications have shown an increasing interest in its applications as a drug carrier. PMMA-based particulate carriers (PMMA(P)) can be prepared either by polymerization methods or from pre-formed polymer-based techniques. Potential biomedical application of these particles includes their use as adjuvant for vaccines and carrier of many drugs as antibiotics and antioxidants via different routes of administration. Release of drugs from PMMA(P) occurs typically in a biphasic way with an incomplete drug release. To improve release profiles, recent strategies are focusing on increasing polymer hydrophilicity by synthesizing functionalized PMMA microspheres or by formulating PMMA composites with hydrophilic polymers. This review examines the current status of preparation techniques, drug release kinetics, biomedical applications and toxicity of these nano/micro PMMA-based particulate carriers.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences-iMed.UL, University of Lisbon , Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal. asimao@ff.ul.pt
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.forename: António J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004655:Emulsions; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008422:Materials Testing; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000633:toxicity; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D014612:Vaccines; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate