Novel alginate–acrylic polymers as a platform for drug delivery

Abstract The aim of the present work was to develop a family of novel materials based on a combination of sodium alginate and acrylic polymers and to evaluate their potential in drug delivery applications. In the presence of sodium alginate, acrylic chains with acidic as well as basic moieties were polymerized to create an interpolymer complex based on electrostatic interactions that are able to modulate the release rate of low molecular weight drugs. The synthesized materials were used to prepare hydrophilic matrices for drug delivery and tested for their adhesion properties to glass, used as a model substrate for mucoadhesion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006