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Novel polymeric prodrugs were synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization of hydroxyethylcellulose and the methacryloyloxy derivative of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Copolymerization was about 94% complete after 4 h, and the polymeric prodrug was quantitatively obtained after 14 h of reaction. The number average molecular weight (Mn) and polydispersity (H) of the polymeric prodrug were 39000 g/mol and 6.20, respectively. Mechanical fracturing of the polymer in a stainless steel twin-shell blender improved these properties (Mn=16000 g/mol and H=1.94). 5-FU was sustainably released from the polymeric prodrugs, and the rate was not affected by the molecular weight or molecular weight distribution of the prodrug under the experimental conditions used. These results suggest that novel polymeric prodrugs composed of a polysaccharide and a synthetic polymer can be fabricated by mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization under anaerobic conditions.

We fabricated polymeric micelles containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or fluorescein using the amphiphilic block copolymer, poly-4-vinylpyridine-b-6-O-methacryloyl galactopyranose. Although the polymeric micelles were stable at pH 7.4, they readily decomposed at pH 5, resulting in near complete release of 5-FU. Uptake of polymeric micelles containing fluorescein by HepG2 and HCT116 cells was also investigated. With both cell types, strong fluorescence was observed after a 12-h incubation, but the fluorescence weakened after 24 h of incubation. The fluorescein incorporated into the polymeric micelles was released into acidic organelles (endosome and/or lysosome), from which it diffused throughout the cell. The cytotoxicity of polymeric micelles containing 5-FU was evaluated against HepG2 cells using a CCK-8 assay. The results suggest that polymeric micelles containing 5-FU are more cytotoxic to HepG2 cells than free 5-FU.

We fabricated novel pH-sensitive polymeric micelles consisting of amphiphilic block copolymer containing pyridyl groups as side chains in the hydrophobic block. The number average particle diameter of the polymeric micelles at pH 7 was approximately 200 nm. A decrease in pH resulted in deformation of the polymeric micelles over a very narrow pH range (between pH 5.7 and 5.6). Interestingly, micellization and demicellization occurred reversibly in this narrow pH range. Polymeric micelles incorporating 5-fluorouracil (5FU) were also prepared. Decreasing the pH of this polymeric micelle solution from 7 to 5.5 resulted in the rapid release of 5FU at pH 5.6; the drug was completely released within 30 min. These results suggest that deformation of the polymeric micelles caused the rapid release of 5FU.

In this study heparin was covalently immobilized onto LDPE-VEMAC sheet fabricated by the introduction of carboxyl groups to the surface of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) using a plasma technique. The plasma irradiation time influenced the density of carboxyl groups on the LDPE-VEMAC sheet. Heparin was immobilized on the LDPE-VEMAC sheet using a condensation reagent, N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). We confirmed the immobilization of heparin from the ATR-FT-IR spectrum of the sheet obtained. Where heparin was directly immobilized on the LDPE-VEMAC sheet, the density of the immobilized heparin depended on that of the carboxyl groups. Heparin was also immobilized with a spacer, hexamethylene diamine, and the density of such heparin was about 1.6 times that of the directly immobilized heparin. This result suggests that the introduction of a spacer may be an effective way to increase the density of immobilized heparin.

The first example is presented here of an amiphiphilic block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization and used to form polymeric micelles. A model amphiphilic block copolymer was synthesized first, possessing galactose as a hydrophilic side chain and theophylline as a hydrophobic side chain, by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization. The resulting copolymer had a narrow molecular weight distribution. Polymeric micelle formation was subsequently carried out with the copolymer by a dialysis method. To gain insight into the physicochemical properties of the polymeric micelle, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed. A narrow distribution of diameters was observed in the polymeric micelle solution, and these micelles were disrupted by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It was also confirmed by DLS measurements that the polymeric micelles were spherical. These results suggested that the block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization was as suitable for the preparation of polymeric micelles as materials obtained by living polymerization.

A novel intragastric floating drug delivery system (FDDS) has been prepared by pulsed plasma-irradiation on the double-compressed tablet of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) as a core material with outer layer composed of a 68/17/15 weight ratio of Povidone (PVP), Eudragit RL (E-RL) and NaHCO3. The plasma heat flux caused the thermal decomposition of NaHCO3 to generate carbon dioxide and the resultant gases were trapped in bulk phase of outer layer, so that the tablets turned to have a lower density than the gastric contents and remained buoyant in simulated gastric fluid for a prolonged period of time. In addition, the release of 5-FU from the tablet is sustained by occurrence of plasma-induced crosslink reaction on the outer layer of tablet and the release rate of 5-FU can be well controlled by plasma operational conditions.

In this communication, we discuss the characterization of DNA conjugate synthesized by mechanochemical polymerization, Con-M, on the separation of model oligo-DNA and its single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by affinity capillary electrophoresis, compared with that prepared by radical-initiated solution polymerization, Con-RL. The average molecular weight of Con-M was similar to that of Con-RL, although the molecular weight distribution of Con-M was narrower than that of Con-RL. Capillary electrophoresis of oligo-DNA was performed using the capillary filled with DNA conjugate. The resolution of the capillary filled with Con-M was apparently higher than with Con-RL. It is considered that higher resolution using the capillary filled with Con-M could be ascribed not only to the narrow molecular weight distribution but also to the difference of copolymer structure.

We discuss here the effect of water-insoluble pharmaceutical aids on the nature of drug release from composite polymeric prodrugs synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization. Magnesium stearate (Mgst) and hydrogen castor oil (HCO) were used as water-insoluble pharmaceutical aids. Composite polymeric prodrugs were synthesized by the mechanochemical solid-state polymerization of a vinyl monomer of 5-fluorouracil (I) in the presence of Mgst or HCO. The molecular weight of the resulting polymeric prodrugs increased with increasing the content of Mgst or HCO. Prodrug hydrolysis was carried out in a heterogeneous system in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 and 37 degrees C. The rate of drug release from the composite polymeric prodrug containing Mgst (Poly-Mgst) was faster than that from polymeric prodrug containing no pharmaceutical aids (Poly-Non), while hydrolysis of the composite polymeric prodrug containing HCO (Poly-HCO) was slower than Poly-Non. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photos showed the surface of Poly-HCO was smoother than that of Poly-Non and Poly-Mgst. It was suggested that the slower drug release from Poly-HCO may be responsible for the smaller specific surface area than that of Poly-Non. It was also shown that the rate of drug release from the composite polymeric prodrugs decreases with increasing the content of Mgst or HCO. Hence, novel composite polymeric prodrugs with a variety of drug release rates can be prepared by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization in a totally dry process.

Matrix-type composite particle for controlled drug release can readily be prepared through a totally dry process by simple anaerobic mechanical vibration of mechanoradical-containing ethylcellulose (EC) with theophylline powder due to occurrence of collision-induced radical-radical coupling reaction to form interparticle matrices, as well as the formation of interparticle network when solid-state vinyl monomer was further added.

Mechanically induced free radical (mechanoradical) formation of several substituted celluloses such as carboxylmethyl cellulose, chitin, and chitosan was studied based on electron-spin resonance (ESR) in comparison with those of plasma-induced radicals. Room temperature ESR spectra had multicomponent spectra and were different in pattern from each other. The mechanoradical concentration gradually decreased after reaching the maximum value in each substituted polysaccharide, accompanied by a decrease in molecular weight in the course of vibratory milling. One of the most intriguing facts is that the component radicals are all glucose-based radicals as in the case of plasma irradiation, although it is known that mechanoradicals are formed by 1,4-glucosidic bond cleavage of polysaccharides.

In this study we synthesized the water-soluble polymeric prodrugs possessing a 4-methylcatechol (4MC) derivative as a side chain by mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization. 1-benzoyl-4-methylcatechol (Bz4MC) was selected as a model compound of 4MC, and its methacryloyl derivative (1) was synthesized. 6-O-methacryloyl-D-galactose (2) was also prepared as a water-soluble monomer. The mechanochemical solid-state copolymerization of 1 and 2 was carried out to obtain the water-soluble polymeric prodrug possessing the Bz4MC as a side chain. The mechanochemical copolymerization of 1 and 2 proceeded to completion, and the polymeric prodrug produced possessed a narrow molecular weight distribution. Three kinds of polymeric prodrugs, whose compositions were different from one another, were hydrolyzed in vitro. The hydrolysis of these polymeric prodrugs proceeded to completion. The rate constants of hydrolysis decreased with increasing the mole fraction of 1 in polymeric prodrug. It was suggested that the rate constant of hydrolysis could be controlled by the composition, the mole fraction of 1 in the polymeric prodrug.

The rapid release from a double-compressed tablet containing theophylline as a core drug with the pH-dependent water-soluble polymers, Eudragit L100, S100 or L100-55 used as a wall material was suppressed by argon plasma-irradiation due to an effect of inter-segmental cross-link reactions on the decrease in the surface polymer solubility of outer layer. In addition, the rapid theophylline release from the double-compressed tablet of Eudragit L100-55 with a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) has converted into the delayed-release system under a set of plasma operational conditions due to an additional effect of plasma heat flux on softening of Eudragit L100-55 surface resulting in the formation of the film-like surface with a particle-particle interlinking of the outer layer.

The rapid release from a double-compressed tablet containing theophylline with the water-soluble polymer, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP), used as a wall material can be suppressed by argon plasma-irradiation and changed into the sustained-release system due to a decrease in solubility of the outer layer. It was shown that the release profiles can be varied so as to cause theophylline release at different rates, depending on the set of conditions chosen for tablet manufacture and for plasma operation.

From the standpoint of the mechanism of mechanochemical polymerization, two kinds of copolymeric prodrug, whose monomer sequence distribution (MSD) is different from each other, can be prepared by this polymerization under appropriate operational conditions: one is a random copolymer abundant in the longer block consisting of the same repeating units (multi-block copolymer), and the other is a block copolymer. To confirm the difference of MSD, the 13C-NMR spectra of poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) prepared by mechanochemical polymerization were measured and compared with the spectrum of that synthesized by a conventional radical-initiated solution polymerization, which produces the random copolymer normally. The results show that MSD in copolymers depends on the polymerization method (operational condition). We prepared three kinds of copolymeric prodrug consisting of acrylamide and vinyl monomer of 5-fluorouracil, whose MSD is different from one another. These copolymeric prodrugs had almost the same number average molecular weight, particle diameter and composition, and differed only in MSD. We compared the rate of drug release of these copolymeric prodrugs. The rate of drug release was the highest with the random copolymer, followed by the mechanochemically produced multi-block copolymer and the block copolymer. This result suggests that the rate of drug release depends on MSD of copolymeric prodrugs. These results are useful as they give a fundamental insight into the synthesis of copolymeric prodrugs having the desired rate of drug release.

We theoretically derived the rate equation of drug release from a simple model in a heterogeneous system. Four assumptions were used to simplify the model. Two kinds of rate equations for drug release derived from two possible limiting cases, that the rate-determining step is a diffusion or hydrolysis controlled process, can predict the experimental results up to 50% hydrolysis. However, the predictions at the later stage by these equations are insufficient. These results suggest that the process of drug release from powdered polymeric prodrugs in a heterogeneous system must be described by both diffusion and hydrolysis. The rate equation derived from a model considering both the diffusion and hydrolysis processes can successfully predict the experimental results for several kinds of polymeric prodrugs. It is also shown that the diffusion coefficient and rate constant for hydrolysis calculated from this equation thoroughly express the character of the comonomer. The rate equation derived from the model that considers both diffusion and hydrolysis is very useful to analyze drug release from various kinds of polymeric prodrugs in a heterogeneous system.

We carried out the mechanochemical polymerization of methacryloyl derivatives of acetoaminophen and 5-fluorouracil in the presence of lactose. The reaction proceeded readily and the polymeric prodrugs were quantitatively produced. This method produces powdered polymeric prodrugs in which fine particles of lactose are homogeneously dispersed, since the reaction proceeds quantitatively through a totally dry process. It is difficult to prepare such a powdered polymeric prodrug by conventional solution polymerization. The rate of drug release of polymeric prodrugs increases with increasing content of lactose, as is shown to be true of the specific surface of polymeric prodrugs. These results suggest that lactose is homogeneously dispersed in powdered polymeric prodrugs. The present method seems applicable to a wide variety of pharmaceutical aids. If one takes the physiochemical property of pharmaceutical aids into consideration, novel polymeric prodrugs with a variety of drug release rates can be synthesized simultaneously with mixing.

With a view to expanding the application of a drug delivery system (DDS) preparation using plasma-irradiated pharmaceutical aids for various dosage forms, we studied the theophylline release property from plasma-irradiate polymer-coated granules, the polymers of which differ in the plasma irradiation effect. We used a new type of rotational plasma-irradiation reactor to perform plasma-irradiation uniformly on the surface of polymer-coated granules based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. It was shown that an increase in theophylline release rate with an increase in plasma duration was observed in all polymer-coated granules, although the factors of such release properties vary with the polymers, as evidenced by the SEM observations. Such results provided the criteria for selecting polymer structures for granule coating. Thus, the present method for the control of drug release is considered principally applicable not only to polymer-coated granules but also to various drug forms under consideration of the above criteria.

The rapid drug release from a double-compressed tablet containing theophylline with the water-soluble polymer polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) or polyacrylamide (PAAm) used as a wall material can be suppressed by argon plasma irradiation and changed into the slow release due to a decrease in the solubility of water-soluble polymers used as the outer layer. This report is the first to deal with an attempt to control the release of drugs by controlling polymer solubility, and to fabricate a completely soluble controlled release type of drug delivery system (DDS) making use of plasma processing.

A controlled-release tablet was obtained by oxygen plasma irradiation on the outer layer of double-compressed tablets prepared from theophylline as a core material and a copolymer of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and benzylmethacrylate (BzMA) as a single wall material, making this possible that polybenzylmethacrylate (PBzMA) has dual intramolecular functions, a plasma degradable main chain and a plasma-cross-linkable benzyl group in the side chain as an effect of plasma irradiation. It was shown that the dissolution profiles can be varied so as to cause release of theophylline at different rates, depending on the set of conditions chosen for tablet manufacture and for plasma operation.

To evaluate the effect of plasma treatment on protein adsorption onto a polymer surface, we carried out Ar plasma irradiation on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plate and examined the adsorption behavior of protein after immersion of plasma treated PMMA plate in the artificial tear solution containing lysozyme, albumin and gamma-globulin. It was found that the total adsorption of protein in the artificial tear solution to PMMA is suppressed by the Ar plasma treatment. But the adsorption of each component protein differs according to the surface condition of polymers and obviously corresponds to the change with time in the surface wettability. It is concluded that introduction of a hydrophilic group into the PMMA surface by plasma treatment and coming off of it are associated with the adsorption behavior of proteins. Since the adsorption of protein to the plasma-treated PMMA surface changes over time, care should be exercised in determining it, when an attempt is made to clarify the effect of plasma irradiation on the adsorption to the plasma-irradiated polymer surface.

A controlled-release tablet can be obtained by oxygen plasma irradiation on the outer layer double-compressed tablets prepared from theophylline as a core material and polycarbonate derived from bisphenol A (PC) as a single wall material, making this possible that PC is of intramolecular bifunctionality, crosslinkable phenyl group and degradable carbonate group as an effect of plasma irradiation. It was shown that the dissolution profiles can be varied so as to cause release of theophylline at different rates, depending on the set of conditions chosen for tablet manufacturing as well as plasma operational conditions.

The release behavior of insulin from a plasma-irradiated sandwitch (PIS) device using poly-DL-lactic acid (PLA) was studied. The controlled release device can be obtained by oxygen plasma irradiation (radiofrequency discharge operating at 13.56 MHz) on the outer layer of the sandwitch device which was fabricated from an insulin-PLA matrix tablet as a core material and a mixture of plasma-degradable polyoxymethylene (POM) and biodegradable PLA as a wall material. The release test indicated that insulin was released through the micropores formed by the vaporization of POM, and that the release behavior of insulin was affected largely by the molecular weight of PLA used as the outer layer rather than the plasma operational condition. The release of insulin can be controlled by the use of PLA with an average molecular weight of 11000 as the outer layer of the PIS device. Insulin from the PIS device maintained normal blood glucose levels for 10 d in diabetic rats as an implantable dosage form. The duration of insulin effectiveness was relatively short considering the degradation rate of PLA, indicating that the degradation characteristics of biodegradable PLA were not well reflected in the PIS device.