title: Rheological, mucoadhesive and textural properties of thermoresponsive polymer blends for biomedical applications.
abstract: The development of binary polymeric mixtures (polymer blends) containing bioadhesive and thermoresponsive polymers can provide new materials for biomedical applications, with higher contact, increased adhesion, prolonged residence time, protection, and in determined cases, secured absorption of an active agent from the site of application. Mixtures were prepared using a wide range of poloxamer 407 and Carbopol 971P(®) amounts. The rheological (flow and oscillatory), sol-gel transition temperature, mechanical (hardness, compressibility, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and elasticity), softness, and mucoadhesive properties of formulations were investigated. Moreover, the interaction between the different proportions of polymers was also analyzed. Continuous shear and oscillatory rheometry identified the plastic flow with various degrees of thixotropy, besides the viscoelastic behavior of formulations. The determination of gelation temperature displayed values ranged from 27.17 to 41.09°C. It was also found that low carbomer concentrations were enough to provide positive interaction parameter. However, the highest values were obtained for the polymeric blends with higher concentration of poloxamer 407. The mucoadhesion and softness index were greater in preparations containing 20% (w/w) poloxamer 407. The rheological, mechanical and mucoadhesive properties of the polymeric blends can be manipulated by changing the concentrations of the polymers and they suggest the blends are worthy of biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Laboratory of Research and Development of Drug Delivery Systems, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sabrina Barbosa
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: De Souza Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Research and Development of Drug Delivery Systems, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Talita Dias
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Moço
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Laboratory of Research and Development of Drug Delivery Systems, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Belincanta
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Borghi-Pangoni
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Laboratory of Research and Development of Drug Delivery Systems, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Volpato
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Junqueira
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Laboratory of Research and Development of Drug Delivery Systems, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil; Department of Pharmacy, State University of Maringá, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: mlbruschi@uem.br.
authors.forename: Marcos Luciano
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bruschi
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D019245:Compressive Strength; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D009077:Mucins / Q000737:chemistry; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D033081:Shear Strength; D013552:Swine; D013696:Temperature; D044366:Transition Temperature
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D009077:Mucins; D020442:Poloxamer
keywords: Biomedical application; Hydrogels; Mechanical properties; Mucoadhesion; Rheology