Journal
POLYMERS
Volume 13, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/polym13020292
Keywords
drug-eluting stent (DES); poly-l-lactide; drug delivery coatings; mechanical properties; thermal properties; surface morphology; paclitaxel; sirolimus; dexamethasone; cyclosporine A
Categories
Funding
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
- European Social Fund (ESF) within the excellence research program of the state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Card-ii-Omics
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Local drug delivery using stents as carrier platforms is essential in biomedical engineering, but the incorporation of drugs into polymers may affect the physico-chemical properties of the matrix, posing a risk of implant failure. The study on the influence of different drugs on polymers provides insights for target-oriented thermal treatment to ensure the shelf life and performance of stent coatings.
Local drug delivery has become indispensable in biomedical engineering with stents being ideal carrier platforms. While local drug release is superior to systemic administration in many fields, the incorporation of drugs into polymers may influence the physico-chemical properties of said matrix. This is of particular relevance as minimally invasive implantation is frequently accompanied by mechanical stresses on the implant and coating. Thus, drug incorporation into polymers may result in a susceptibility to potentially life-threatening implant failure. We investigated spray-coated poly-l-lactide (PLLA)/drug blends using thermal measurements (DSC) and tensile tests to determine the influence of selected drugs, namely sirolimus, paclitaxel, dexamethasone, and cyclosporine A, on the physico-chemical properties of the polymer. For all drugs and PLLA/drug ratios, an increase in tensile strength was observed. As for sirolimus and dexamethasone, PLLA/drug mixed phase systems were identified by shifted drug melting peaks at 200 degrees C and 240 degrees C, respectively, whereas paclitaxel and dexamethasone led to cold crystallization. Cyclosporine A did not affect matrix thermal properties. Altogether, our data provide a contribution towards an understanding of the complex interaction between PLLA and different drugs. Our results hold implications regarding the necessity of target-oriented thermal treatment to ensure the shelf life and performance of stent coatings.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available