Polymer Systems in Drug Delivery Applications - A Term Paper Sample

Nicholson (2017) defines a polymer as a large molecule built up from a number of small molecules. The big molecules may be linear, slightly branched, or highly interconnected. The small molecules, which are the foundation of the bigger molecules, are referred to as monomers. A majority of the polymers used for commercial purposes are organic, and they are based on covalent compounds of carbon. There are two methods of classifying polymers. One is the evaluation of their response to thermal treatment and to divide them into thermoplasticsand thermosets. Thermoplasticsare the type of polymers that melt when heated and resolidify when cooled. Thermosets do not melt when heated, but at certain extreme temperatures, they decompose irreversibly. Another classification system of polymers is based on the nature of chemical reactions utilized in the polymerization. Polymers that have high commercial significance originate from thermoplastics rather than thermosets. Poly (ethylene) is a polymer with the simplest molecular structure. The polymer is produced using four industrial methods, which are High Pressure Processes, Ziegler Processes, The Philips Processes, and The Standard Oil Process (Nicholson, 2017). Poly (propylene) is another polymer that arose as a commercial material. Commercial poly (propylene) is isotactic and similar to poly (ethylene). The above are just examples of polymers that are used for commercial purposes. The essay will discuss some of the types of polymers used in drug delivery systems and the application of polymers in drug delivery.

Polymers are becoming significant in pharmaceutical applications especially in the areas that concern drug delivery. Apart from their use as binders, polymers are primarily used to disguise the unpleasant tastes of drugs, enhance drug stability, and modify the release characteristics (Shaik, Korsapati, &Panati, 2012). The authors further define a drug delivery system as a system that delivers therapeutic agents to desired body locations, and releases the therapeutic agents in a timely manner. Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is one of the polymers used in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. The polymer is biocompatible, biodegradable, and has tunable mechanical properties. Polyglycolic acid (PGA) is another polymer, which is biodegradable and can be prepared by means of polycondensation. Polyglutamic acid (PGA) is another polymer, which is formed by bacterial fermentation. The polymer is widely used as a drug delivery system in cancer treatment. Other significant polymers in the field of drug delivery include Dextran, PAMAM [Poly (amidoamine)], PPy [Polypyrrole], pHEMA[Poly 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate], and PNIPAAm [Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)] (Shaik, et al., 2012).

Polymer Systems in Drug Delivery Applications

Polymers play a vital role in the drug delivery system. The pharmaceutical sector incorporates polymers in various drug delivery routes as a way of enhancing the outcome of using drugs in the treatment of diseases affecting the public. The development of the polymer systems has been influenced by the need to enhance the stability of drugs; to alter the release characteristics and to mask the unpleasant taste of medications. The polymer system is integrated by the pharmaceutical companies in various approaches. They are used as coatings and binders in tablets.

One of the areas where the polymer systems are utilized is in the conventional drug delivery. The conventional drug delivery systems make use of capsules and tablets that are formed by coating and compressing the bioactive drug molecules (Srivastava, Yadav, Sharma, Nayak, Kumari and Mishra, 2016). Also, the drugs used in conventional drug delivery systems result from the encapsulation of the bioactive drug molecules. During the formation of the capsules and tablets, the polymer is applied in the conventional drug delivery systems.

The polymer system is incorporated into the delivery system as a binding agent for the capsules. In the case of the tablets, the polymer system acts as a coating agent. Also, during emulsions and suspensions, the polymer systems are utilized as viscosity enhancers. The polymer systems are used alongside the bioactive drug molecules to form the tablets and capsules provided by the pharmaceutical organizations. Some of the commonly used polymers in the conventional drug delivery systems alongside the bioactive drug molecules include poly (ethylene glycol) PEG, poly (N-vinyl pyrrolidone) and cellulose derivatives.

Polymer systems are also applied by the pharmaceutical firms to enhance the capacity of drugs in fighting various human ailments. Today, the advanced drug systems are as a result of applying the polymer systems during the formation of medications. It is argued that approximately sixty million individuals benefit from the advancement of the drug delivery systems. Patients are receiving medications that are more effective and all because of incorporating the polymer systems.

The polymer systems are among some of the systems under research and being used to help promote effective drug administration. The polymers are incorporated into the drug delivery system to help reduce degradation and loss of drugs (Shaik, Korsapati, and Panati, 2012). Also, the polymer systems help to avoid and prevent the harmful or risky side effects of drugs. Furthermore, the polymer systems are applied to increase and promote drug bioavailability. Some of the polymers applied in the drug delivery system to help prevent drug loss, harmful effects and promote bioavailability of the medications include the soluble polymers, synthetic polymers, lipoproteins, nanoparticles, liposomes and microparticles among others.

Also, the biodegradable polymers are applied in therapy, pharmacology, and surgery. The polymers are believed to assist individuals in the healing process of wounds. Furthermore, resorbable polymers are applied to assist patients during the growth of organs and injured tissues. Additionally, the resorbable polymer is utilized in drug delivery system as a drug depot that tends to offer a long-term supply of drug at a constant rate to the blood. Therefore, polymer systems are applied to improve and enhance the outcome of therapy and treatment of human ailments.

Polymer systems play a critical role in making sure that the medication given to a patient reaches the target site of action. Also, the polymers have to ensure that the therapeutic dosage given to individuals remain constant for a long period. It has been noted that the pharmaceutical agents used face various challenges such as degradation that limits their capacity to reach the site of action and maintain stable therapeutic dose for a long period. As such, the polymer systems are applied to help achieve the expected pharmacological response from the drugs.

Polymeric systems are incorporated into the drug delivery systems to enhance the outcome of the drugs given to patients. The polymer systems are applied in the treatment of antineoplastic activity, inflammatory process, and bacterial infections. Also, the polymeric systems are applied while giving vaccines. Some of the polymers that are being utilized as drug delivery systems to promote the treatment of bacterial infection and vaccines among others include nanoparticles, microparticles, micelles, capsosomes, and nano and microspheres among others.

The polymer systems make sure that a drug is released at an appropriate place and time. The polymeric systems are used by the pharmaceutical organizations to enhance the stability if a drug and its pharmaceutical profile (Vilar, Tulla-Puche and Albericio, 2012). Further, the systems are used in the drug delivery system to attain maximum biocompatibility as well as ensure that the drug is of correct concentration. Also, the polymer system ensures that an individual is safe from the side effects of the drug by ensuring the concentration and biocompatibility are as expected. Furthermore, the polymers make sure that the drugs capacity to target cell or site of action is increased.

Polymer systems are also utilized to enhance the drug delivery system. The polymers can improve the drug delivery by assisting the system to attain specialized functions for the improved drug delivery. The polymers are applied to the dosage forms to assist the drug delivery to fulfill their functions. Most of the new medications used in the treatment of serious illnesses are believed to have unfavorable pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties. As such, polymers such as the synthetic polymers are modified by altering their characteristics to attain a positive, favorable and environmental friendly effect.

Polymer systems are applied in the formation of drugs to help enhance drug delivery. Polymers are deemed to be the backbone of the drug delivery system in the pharmaceutical sector. Some of the dosages formed by applying polymers include tablets, powders, semisolids, tapes, patches, and films. The polymer system is applied to help in the release of the drugs from the device. Further, they ensure the availability of drug and constant drug release.

Additionally, the polymer system is applied in pharmaceutical firms to protect medications from the physiological environment. Further, the polymers are integrated into the delivery system to help promote the stability of the drugs and increase as well as prolong their release. Other than to enhance the stability of drugs and release the polymer system is applied in biomedical areas.

Polymers are incorporated in biomedical sectors due to their features of biocompatibility and biodegradability. They serve as implants in the biomedical applications (Gandhi, Deshmane, and Biyani, 2012). The polymers utilized as implants are expected to improve the medical treatment of the patients. Furthermore, the implants are applied to help reduce the negative side effects of drugs or medications among other types of inconveniences that threaten the lives of the patients.

Additionally, pharmaceutical drug delivery systems also apply polymers to increase the functions of drugs. At first, the water solubility of the polymers is manipulated and then that is crosslinked with other groups such as the copolymers to form materials that can be used in a wide spectrum. The materials formed from hydrophobising the polymers and copolymers increases the capacity of the polymers to allow drugs to respond to stimuli; to enhance the administration of the hydrophobic drug and prolong the availability of medications as well as alter the biodistribution of the drugs.

The polymer systems are also applied in polymer therapeutics. The polymers serve as agents that can fight various diseases. For instance, the polymers have been used as anticancer drugs. The polymeric micelles are among the polymers used as agents and drugs that help patients with serious illnesses. Polymer therapeutics applies the polymer system to target areas affected by a disease. For instance, the micellar system tends to link the conjugated ligand with a pH-induced anticancer therapeutic release to ensure that the dose formed targets an active tumor in a patient.

Polymer systems also enhance the long-term outcome of the therapeutic prognosis (Liechty, Kryscio, Slaughter and Peppas, 2010). The polymers make an effort to direct molecules to the target area of action. Also, in a bid to treat various medical conditions among the patients, the drug delivery system applies the polymers in the formation of drugs or medications. The polymeric systems enable pharmaceutical firms to develop bioactive agents that help to yield outcomes that are effective in treating serious medical conditions. Further, the polymers are integrated into the drug delivery system to attain the promise of enhancin...