title: Drug delivery systems using sandwich configurations of electrospun poly(lactic acid) nanofiber membranes and ibuprofen.
abstract: The primary advantages of electrospun membranes include the ability to obtain very thin fibers that are on the order of magnitude of several nanometers with a considerable superficial area and the possibility for these membranes to be manipulated and processed for many different applications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and quantify the transport mechanisms that control the release of drugs from polymer-based sandwich membranes produced using the electrospinning processes. These electrospun membranes were composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) because it is one of the most promising biodegradable polymers due to its mechanical properties, thermoplastic processability and biological properties, such as its biocompatibility and biodegradability. The transport mechanism that controls the drug delivery was evaluated via the release kinetics of a bioactive agent in physiological serum, which was used as a corporal fluid simulation. To describe the delivery process, mathematical models, such as the Power Law, the classical Higuchi equation and an approach to Fick's Second Law were used. Using the applied mathematical models, it is possible to conclude that control over the release of the drug is significantly dependent on the thickness of the membrane rather than the concentration of the drug.
authors.affiliation: UPC - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona Tech, INTEXTER - Institut d'Investigació Tèxtil i Cooperació Industrial de Terrassa, Colom 15, Zip Code 08222, Terrassa, Spain. paulaimmich@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ana Paula Serafini
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Immich
authors.forename: Manuel Lis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carreras
authors.forename: Rafael Luís
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Boemo
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Tornero
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D007052:Ibuprofen
keywords: Drug delivery; Electrospinning; Ibuprofen; Nanofibers; Poly(lactic acid)