Abstract

A NOVEL APPROACH TO PREPARE ETOPOSIDE LOADED POLY(NVINYLCAPROLACTAM- CO-METHYLMETHACRYLATE) COPOLYMERIC MICROSPHERES AND THEIR CONTROLLED RELEASE STUDIES

Ramakrishna Peddagani*

Abstract

Thermoresponsive Poly N-Vinylcaprolactam -co- Methylmethacrylate designated as Poly (NVCL‐co‐MMA) copolymeric microspheres crosslinked with N, N– methylene bis-acrylamide (NNMBA) have been prepared by dispersion polymerization using varying amounts of NVCL, MMA and NNMBA. Etoposide, an anticancer drug, was loaded into the microspheres during in situ polymerization and in vitro release of Etoposide has been studied. The microspheres were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X‐Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The release of Etoposide drug from these microspheres was studied in pH 7.4 media, at the temperatures 250C and 370C. The microspheres consisting of NVCLand MMA provide thermo responsive nature to the microspheres. The system developed in this study showed a thermoresponsive for the controlled release of Etoposide. The DSC and XRD techniques indicated that the uniform distribution of drug in the microspheres and the drug was released in a controlled manner up to 12 h.

Keywords: N-Vinylcparolactam(NVCL), Methylmethacrylate (MMA), Drug delivery, Etoposide, Controlled release.