Implementation of an oral drug delivery system for targeted, controlled substance release within the gastrointestinal tract serves as a less invasive route for the treatment of certain ailments that require direct intestinal interaction. However, oral drug delivery under the gastrointestinal tract is complicated by the harsh acidic conditions of the stomach, which must be bypassed for the drug to be successfully delivered to the enteric target. The goal of this research is to create a pH-sensitive random copolymer capable of bypassing extremely acidic conditions to perform controlled drug release under basic conditions <i>in vitro. </i>Radical polymerization of three different monomers will ultimately allow for a novel drug delivery system capable of targeted and pH-dependent substance release. It is predicted that a greater ratio of pH-sensitive monomers included in the final polymer blend increases vesicular stability in acidic conditions and allows for the controlled release of molecules in basic environments. Acidic environments cause the protonation of the polymeric side chains, which increase the stability of the polymer, which prevents major drug release. Conversely, basic conditions cause the deprotonation of carboxyl groups to allow for controlled drug release. In this study, optimal polymer synthesis and characterization were completed with <sup>1</sup>H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. Successive measurements via UV-Vis spectroscopy were performed to determine the structural composition of the polymeric vesicles and subsequent release rates within solutions of varying pH values. Expected results include evidence supporting the formation of a unique drug delivery system that functions in response to major pH fluctuations to transport and release various classes of drug molecules.

pH-responsive polymeric vesicles as drug delivery systems

255th National Meeting (2018)

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