Application of Eudragit RS to thermo-sensitive drug delivery systems - II. Effect of temperature on drug permeability through membrane consisting of Eudragit RS/PEG 400 blend polymers

The Eudragit RS and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) blend polymer (EPG) membranes were prepared by the solvent casting method to pioneer a novel application of Eudragit RS to a thermo-sensitive material. The EPG membranes containing 2.5-10% PEG 400 (2.5-10% EPG) showed the glass transition temperatures (Tgs) around the body temperature (32-42 degreesC). Drug permeation studies through the EPG membranes were carried out using acetaminophen (AAP) and aminopyrine (AMP) as the model drugs. The permeability of AAP and AMP through the EPG membranes has been shown to be a discontinuous function of temperature, that is, their permeability increased steeply above the Tg of the membranes. The amount of AMP permeated at 42 degreesC was nearly eight times as much as that at 36 degreesC. Arrhenius plots of the steady-state permeability coefficient (P) of AAP indicated two straight lines that intersect at the Tg of the 10% EPG membrane. In the water uptake study for the 10% EPG membrane, the degree of the swelling for the membrane tended to increase with increasing temperature above the Tg of the membrane. The thermo-sensitive permeation mechanism for the EPG membranes might be based on the structure change of the membranes caused by the glass transition, so that the membranes could absorb more water. Considering the high biological safety of Eudragit RS and PEG 400, the EPG membranes might be used to develop a novel thermo-sensitive drug delivery system. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.