title: Effect of Polyethylene Glycol on Properties and Drug Encapsulation-Release Performance of Biodegradable/Cytocompatible Agarose-Polyethylene Glycol-Polycaprolactone Amphiphilic Co-Network Gels.
abstract: We synthesized agarose-polycaprolactone (Agr-PCL) bicomponent and Agr-polyethylene glycol-PCL (Agr-PEG-PCL) tricomponent amphiphilic co-network (APCN) gels by the sequential nucleophilic substitution reaction between amine-functionalized Agr and activated halide terminated PCL or PCL-b-PEG-b-PCL copolymer for the sustained and localized delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. The biodegradability of the APCNs was confirmed using lipase and by hydrolytic degradation. These APCN gels displayed good cytocompatibility and blood compatibility. Importantly, these APCN gels exhibited remarkably high drug loading capacity coupled with sustained and triggered release of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. PEG in the APCNs lowered the degree of phase separation and enhanced the mechanical property of the APCN gels. The drug loading capacity and the release kinetics were also strongly influenced by the presence of PEG, the nature of release medium, and the nature of the drug. Particularly, PEG in the APCN gels significantly enhanced the 5-fluorouracil loading capacity and lowered its release rate and burst release. Release kinetics of highly water-soluble gemcitabine hydrochloride and hydrophobic prednisolone acetate depended on the extent of water swelling of the APCN gels. Cytocompatibility/blood compatibility and pH and enzyme-triggered degradation together with sustained release of drugs show great promise for the use of these APCN gels in localized drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.
authors.affiliation: Reverse Osmosis Membrane Division, CSIR and ‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research-AcSIR, Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Gijubhai Badheka Marg, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364002, India.
authors.forename: Arvind K Singh
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chandel
authors.affiliation: Reverse Osmosis Membrane Division, CSIR and ‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research-AcSIR, Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Gijubhai Badheka Marg, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364002, India.
authors.forename: Chinta Uday
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Reverse Osmosis Membrane Division, CSIR and ‡Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research-AcSIR, Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute , Gijubhai Badheka Marg, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364002, India.
authors.forename: Suresh K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jewrajka
mesh_terms: D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D065546:Drug Liberation; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D012685:Sepharose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D020100:Hydrogels; D011091:Polyesters; C476300:poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene glycol); C016240:polycaprolactone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012685:Sepharose; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: agarose−polycaprolactone-PEG APCN gel; biodegradability; cytocompatibility and blood compatibility; effect of PEG; high loading capacity; triggered and sustained release