title: Synthesis of a dextran based thermo-sensitive drug delivery system by gamma irradiation.
abstract: Gamma radiation was used as the initiator/crosslinker agent for the synthesis of thermo-sensitive hydrogel networks, under the form of membranes, using dextran and N-isopropylacrylamide. The prepared membranes were loaded with Ondansetron™, a potent antiemetic drug and tested as drug delivery systems. The characterization of the materials was accomplished by: Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, lower critical solution temperature (LCST) determination, swelling behaviour evaluation, determination of surface energy by contact angle measurement and drug delivery kinetics studies. Also, the influence of irradiation time and temperature on the materials properties was evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Polo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal; Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Apartado 127, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005720:Gamma Rays; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D007700:Kinetics; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels
keywords: Dextran; Drug delivery; Gamma irradiation