BACKGROUND:The cross-linking reagent is the main unit to support the skeleton of molecularly imprinted polymers, which is closely related to the bio-friendly adaption of polymers. The biocompatible and biodegradable capacities of common crosslinking agents are unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To prepare a novel biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymer and to evaluate the adsorption and biodegradability properties of the polymer.
METHODS:The biodegradable molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized with the acrylated polyε-caprolactone as the cross-linking reagent under the UV polymerization. The adsorption of the polymer was evaluated by adsorption isotherm, Scatchard analysis and kinetic curves. The biodegradation of the polymer was observed in the simulated physiological environment system in vitro.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Both the molecularly imprinted polymer and non-molecularly imprinted polymer showed an adsorption effect on theophyl ine, the template. But the adsorption amount of the molecularly imprinted polymer was significantly more than that of the non-molecularly imprinted polymer. The drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of the molecularly imprinted polymer were 1.54%and 12.48%, respectively. The degradation rates of molecularly imprinted polymer and poly(ε-caprolactone) diol were 6.60%and 1.33%, respectively, within the observation time in vitro. The obtained molecularly imprinted polymer not only exhibited specific adsorption to certain molecules but also showed good biodegradable properties in the simulated physiological environment system, which is necessary to be a potent drug carrier.