About this Research Topic
Drug release systems are engineered technology for controlled and targeted delivery of curative agents. It symbolizes one of the most speedily progressing fields in the scientific community. Polymers are directly associated with this system, since they are extensively used in their formulations either as excipients, used to increase the solubility of the drugs, control their release or stabilize their solutions, or as polymeric matrices, i.e., macro/nanoparticles, matrices for melt mixing procedures. Such systems often use blends of synthetic and natural polymers as a hauler for the drugs. Polymers are commonly used in almost all major dosage forms including tablets, films, capsules, semi-solids, suspensions, gels, and transdermal patches as well as in specialized delivery systems such as long-acting injections and biodegradable implants. Due to this precedent of use, polymers are used in the development of new pharmaceutical products, provided that the amounts used are within the limits for which safety has been established.
The primary issue in the drug release system is that, generic drug is not released in a significant amount. A very small amount of drug is consumed by the body and rest is discharged from the body without any change. If drugs are not properly absorbed by the body, it is necessary to espouse some other approach to sustain the therapeutic amount in approved dosage. The objective of this Research Topic is to cope with this issue, by using polymer blends that can release drugs in a controlled manner with a suitable delivery timespan. Despite the utility of many currently available polymers, there exists a demand for materials with improved characteristics and functionality. Due to the extensive safety testing required for new excipient approval, the introduction and use of new polymers are considerably limited. The blending of currently approved polymers provides a valuable solution by which the limitations of individual polymers can be addressed. Considering the time and resources required to obtain regulatory approval when a new excipient is to be utilized, polymer blends present an attractive alternative means by which to address various formulation and drug delivery challenges.
The scientific field of the drug release system belongs to cross-disciplinary research at the boundary of polymers chemistry, polymer physics, polymer engineering, and medicine/biology. Widespread research to use polymer blends for medical applications has been emerging in numerous worldwide laboratories. Medical scientists foresee that the polymer blends will be the most important of their kind in the world and will help them to overcome many medical problems like controlled drug delivery or proteins in the human blood serum that increase the efficiency of the drug to treat many diseases. The Research Topic will cover the polymer blends for drug release systems in all aspects including controlled, targeted and sustained. The topics of interest include but not limited to the following:
• Different synthesis protocols for the fabrication of polymer blends
• Biocompatible and biodegradable polymer blends
• Mechanisms of polymer blends
• Polymer blends for controlled drug release systems
• Physical and analytical testing of blends
• In vitro and in vivo analyses of blends
All kinds of drug release systems including oral, transdermal, injectable, and different forms of polymer blends including hydrogel, films, beads, solutions, implants, etc are targeted.
Keywords: Blends, Drugs, Drug release systems, Hydrogels, Polymers
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