Drug release kinetics and transport mechanisms of non-degradable and degradable polymeric delivery systems

Areas covered in this review: The structure and function information of selected non-degradable and degradable polymers have been collected and summarized from literature published after the 1990s. The release kinetics of selected drug compounds from various material systems is discussed in case studies. Recent progress in the mathematical models based on different transport mechanisms is highlighted. What the reader will gain: This article aims to provide an overview of structure-function relationships of selected non-degradable and degradable polymers as drug delivery matrices. Take home message: Understanding the structure-function relationship of the material system is key to the successful design of a delivery system for a particular application. Moreover, developing complex polymeric matrices requires more robust mathematical models to elucidate the solute transport mechanisms.