Encapsulation: Controlled Drug Delivery Publisher



Farzin A^{1, 2} ; Beheshtizadeh N^{2, 3} ; Vaez A^{2, 4} ; Siminzar P^{2, 5} ; Varzandeh M^{2, 6} ; Azami M^{2, 3}
Source: Principles of Biomaterials Encapsulation: Volume 2 Published:2023

Abstract

Pharmaceutical researchers have been utilizing biomaterials over the last 40years to develop controlled drug delivery systems (DDSs). The reason for the extensive investigations on DDSs is that, without proper delivery, the majority of drugs are not adequately efficient and cause severe side effects. This chapter will first introduce drug release mechanisms, including diffusion, erosion, swelling, and osmosis. Then, there will be an investigation on the effect of polymer characteristics, such as crystallinity, molecular weight, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, polymer content, and pore-forming agents on the drug release kinetics of degradable and nondegradable polymers. Subsequently, an overview of targeted drug delivery by modification of DDS encapsulation will be summarized. Furthermore, smart drug deliveries will be discussed in detail, categorized by exogenous and endogenous stimuli. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.