Release dynamics of ciprofloxacin from swellable nanocarriers of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate): an in vitro study.

Swellable polymeric nanosystems have emerged as promising materials in drug release technologies. Such systems have shown potential in releasing antibiotic drugs and to do so controllably. In the present investigation poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) nanoparticles were synthesized by suspension polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and characterized by various techniques such as Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis, and surface charge measurements. The synthesized nanoparticles were swellable in water and showed promise to function as a swelling controlled-release system. The release kinetics of drug-loaded particles was studied in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) using ciprofloxacin as a model antibacterial drug. The chemical stability of the pure and released drug was also assessed in PBS (pH 7.4), acidic (pH 1.8), and alkaline (pH 8.6) solutions. The in vitro blood compatibility of nanoparticles was also investigated in terms of hemolysis tests. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were also examined for their antibacterial and blood-compatible behaviors. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: Swellable polymeric nanosystems have emerged as promising materials in drug release technologies. In this paper, the release kinetics, antimicrobial properties and in vitro "blood compatibility" is reported for a specific swellable polymeric nanosystem.