Electric Field Sensitive Drug Delivery System

The ultimate goal of advanced drug delivery systems is to maximize therapeutic effects and minimize side effects of the administered drugs. Electro-responsive drug release from polyelectrolyte materials were studied in a controlled and long-term manner with response to an electric field. Polyelectrolyte gel and polymer complex were chosen to design electro-sensitive polymers and electrically modulated drug delivery systems. Physical property changes of these polymers were studied in response to an applied electric current. Feasibility studies for both the controlled release of charged solutes from crosslinked polyelectrolyte gel and release of macromolecules like insulin and heparin from polymer complexes followed the pattern of an applied step function of electric stimulation were demonstrated. The complexes underwent surface erosion due to a local pH increase at the cathode when an electric stimulus was applied. It also emphasized on the constant release rate, owing to the surface erosion mechanism, obtained from the electro-erodible polymer complex.