Incorporation of salicylic acid derivatives to hydrophilic copolymer systems with biomedical applications.

Hydrogels based on polymeric derivatives of salicylic acid have been prepared for biomedical applications by free radical copolymerization of 2-hydroxy-4-methacrylamidobenzoic acid, 4HMA, and 2-hydroxy-5-methacrylamidobenzoic acid, 5HMA, with 2- hydroxyethylmethacrylate, HEMA, in a wide range of compositions. The reactivity ratios of 4HMA and 5HMA with HEMA in radical copolymerization processes have been determined from their 1H NMR spectra by applying linearization methods and non-linear least square treatments. Tgs of the corresponding copolymers were analyzed by DSC. The swelling behavior in water of the prepared copolymers was studied in comparison to poly-(HEMA), poly-(4HMA) and poly-(5HMA) hydration degrees, being in all cases superior to 35%. The hydrolytical behavior of the synthesized copolymers was studied at three different pHs (2, 7.4 and 10) determining the release percentage of the salicylic acid derivatives, 4-amino salicylic acid, 4ASA, and 5-amino salicylic acid, 5ASA, analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The release analysis was followed during 230 days and a pH dependence was observed obtaining the highest release percentages at pH=10, whereas at physiological pH (7.4) the release percentages were in range from 2 to 5% at that time for all copolymer systems. The hydrolytical stability is enough for long-term applications like bone cements, ionomers, etc. Copyright 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers