Enzymatic and anaerobic degradation of amylose based acrylic copolymers, for use as matrices for drug release

The aim of this investigation is the use of starch for effective colon-targeted drug delivery. To this end, high-amylose starch-based copolymers were tested as matrices for drug delivery. Ethyl methacrylate (EMA) was grafted onto a high-amylose starch (A). Copolymer synthesis and characterization as well as other experiments to test the enzymatic resistance and the capacity for fermentation of these products by colonic bacteria were carried out. Finally, tablets developed with our copolymers were tested to observe the dissolution behaviour of a model drug and a model protein. Our findings indicate that large quantities of grafted PEMA are not necessary to obtain high enzymatic resistance. Fermentation experiments indicate that the carbohydrate of A-EMA copolymers is susceptible to fermentation in spite of the EMA coating around the amylose backbone and that these materials could favour colon-targeted delivery. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.