POLÍMEROS NA OBTENÇÃO DE SISTEMAS DE LIBERAÇÃO DE FÁRMACOS

Due to their broad range of applications, particularly for the controlled release of drugs, polymers are among the most widely used excipients in pharmaceutical technology. Selecting a polymer for a drug delivery system depends on its characteristics, as well as the properties of the drug substance and of the remaining ingredients of the formulation. Selecting a polymer is also influenced by the desired mechanism for drug release. To achieve specific drug release profiles, synthetic polymers may be chemically modified. Also, blending different polymers at different ratios may lead to specific drug release systems. Future developments in polymer sciences will be based on modifications of the chemical and physical properties of the polymers and on new combinations of copolymers able to provide a programmed and controlled release of a wide variety of drugs.