Polyanhydride Mierospheres that Display Near-Constant Release of Water-Soluble Model Drug Compounds

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Abstract
A new method to prepare polyanhydride microspheres capable of near-constant sustained release of low molecular weight, water-soluble molecules is presented. The polyanhydrides used were poly-(fatty acid dimer) (PFAD), poly(sebacic acid) (PSA), and their co-polymers [P(FAD-SA)]. Acid orange 63 (AO), acid red 8 (AR), and p-nitroaniline, were used as model release molecules. P(FAD-SA) microspheres containing the molecules with or without gelatin were prepared by a modified solvent evaporation method using a double emulsion. The microspheres were spherical with diameters of 50–125 µm and encapsulated more than 85% of the molecule, irrespective of the compound used. Near-zero-order degradation kinetics were observed for 5 days as judged by sebacic acid (SA) release. Microsphere degradation was pH sensitive, being enhanced at high pH, and became more stable in acidic conditions, irrespective of the incorporation of gelatin in the matrix. For the gelatin-free microspheres, a close correlation of SA release and AO release was observed (2% loading), suggesting a release mechanism that was controlled dominantly by degradation. However, the incorporation of gelatin into the microsphere significantly extended the periods of molecule release from P(FAD-SA) microspheres, although the degradation profile of the microspheres themselves was quite similar to that of gelatin-free microspheres. It is possible that an interaction between FAD monomers and gelatin molecules causes continued release, even after the polymer matrix completely degrades (even after complete degradation, FAD monomers remain because of their poor water solubility). Thermal analysis of polyanhydride microspheres at different degradation stages demonstrated that a crystalline structure was formed between gelatin and the FAD monomers produced with microsphere degradation. This gelatin effect on the extended period of drug release was not observed for microspheres prepared from other polyanhydrides: poly (sebacic acid) and its co-polymer of bis(p-carboxyphenoxy) propane and sebacic acid. It is therefore likely that the crystalline structure formed between gelatin and FAD monomers may function as a reservoir for water-soluble drugs, leading to an extended period of molecule release from the gelatin-loaded P(FAD-SA) microspheres.