Model-based assessment of physico-chemical properties of pharmaceutical polymers
by L. Ironi, S. Tentoni
2nd CIRP International Seminar on
Intelligence Computation in Manufacturing Engineering, Capri 21-23 June 2000, 321-326.
ABSTRACT
A computational modeling system, specifically designed for the automated
modeling of the mechanical behavior of visco-elastic materials, has been
successfully employed for the assessment of the mucoadhesive properties
of a class of polymers candidate for use as drug carriers in the design of new-concept drug delivery systems. The model-based approach has allowed us to shed light onto the polymer-mucin interactions involved in mucoadhesion, which is one of the physico-chemical features that directly influence drug bioavailability.
More precisely, solutions of NaCMC polymers and polymer-mucin mixtures have been tested at different concentrations, and accurate models for each data set have been obtained.
The model order and the values of the parameters respectively indicate the number of structural units within the polymeric network and their strength, and therefore characterize the material complexity.
By comparing the values obtained for the different samples, we could explain the strengthening of the mucoadhesive interface in terms of the structural variations that take place in the polymeric network.
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Liliana Ironi
2000