Abstract

5-FLUOROURACIL CONTROLLED RELEASE FROM POLY (VINYLCAPROLACTAM-CO-METHACRYLIC ACID) COPOLYMERIC MICROSPHERES

Peddagani Rama Krishna*

ABSTRACT

In the study pH sensitive poly Vinylcaprolactam methacrylic acid (VCL-co-MAA) microspheres were cross linked with N,N-methylene bis acrylamide (NNMBA) prepared by free radical emulsion polymerization. This was done by using vinylcaprolactam, meth acrylic acid, and NNMBA with varying amounts. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an anticancer drug which was mixed into these microspheres during in situ polymerization. These microspheres were characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. XRD and DSC results indicated that there was uniform distribution of 5-FU drugparticles in microspheres, and SEM pictures suggest that the microspheres are in spherical shape. Both encapsulation efficiency and release patterns are found to be dependent on the amount of cross linking agent and amount of drug loaded. The release 5-Fluorouracil was studied in phosphate buffer solutions of different pH 2, 5, and 7.2 Furthermore, in vitro release studies indicated the release of 5-FU up to 10 hours.

Keywords: 5-Fluorouracil, microspheres, methacrylic acid, Vinylcaprolactam.