Broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides provide a new way to address the urgent growing problem of bacterial resistance. However, the limited natural resources and the high cost of extraction and purification of natural antimicrobial peptides can not meet the requirements of clinical application. In order to solve this problem, researchers have utilized two basic common structural features (amphiphilic and cationic) for designing and preparing synthetic antimicrobial macromolecular polymers. During the last decade, several kinds of amphiphilic polymers, including arylamide oligomers, phenylene ethynylenes, polymethacrylates, polynorbornenes as well as nylon-3 polymers have been synthesized. In this paper, the structures, antibacterial activities and selectivities of these polymers are reviewed, and the effects of molecular size, polarity and ratio of hydrophobic groups, positive charge density on antibacterial activity and selectivity are also summarized.
Anti-Infective Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Drug Design ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Macromolecular Substances ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry

Thermo-responsive intelligent membranes with linear grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) gates on the inner pore surface were prepared, and experiments were carried out on the thermo-responsive gating characteristics. Plasma-graft pore-filling polymerization was used to graft PNIPAM into the pore of the porous flat membranes. The experimental results showed that PNIPAM-grafted PVDF (PNIPAM-g-PVDF) membranes were featured with thermo-responsiveness due to the thermo-responsive swollen-shrunken property of PNIPAM chains grafted on the inner pore surface of the membrane. At temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the linear grafted PNIPAM chains on the inner pore surface were in the swollen state, and the pores in the membrane were closed; in contrast, the grafted PNIPAM chains were in the shrunken state at temperatures above the LCST, and therefore the pores in the membrane were open. The LCST of the thermo-sensitive gates could be adjusted by adding acrylamide (AAM) in the N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) monomer solution, the LCST of the poly(NIPAM-co-AAM) gates increased simply with the increase of the AAM fraction.
Acrylic Resins ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Membranes, Artificial ; Porosity ; Temperature

Environmental stimuli-responsive microcapsules are getting more and more interests because of their potential applications in site-specific and time- and rate-programmed controlled-release. In this study, thermo-responsive microcapsules with linear grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) gates on the inner pore surface were prepared, and the thermo-responsive controlled-release experiments were carried out. Interfacial polymerization was introduced to prepare polyamide porous microcapsules, and plasma-graft pore-filling polymerization was used to graft PNIPAM into the pore of the microcapsule membranes. The experimental results showed that PNIPAM-grafted microcapsules were featured with thermo-responsiveness due to the thermoresponsive swollen-shrunken property of PNIPAM chains grafted on the inner pore surface of the microcapsule membrane. At temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the linear grafted PNIPAM chains on the inner pore surface were in the swollen state, and the pores in the membrane were closed and the solute molecules were restrained to pass, as a result the release rate was low. In contrast, the grafted PNIPAM chains were in the shrunken state at temperatures above the LCST, and therefore the pores in the membrane were open, and a high release rate was the result.
Acrylic Resins ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; Capsules ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Polymers ; Porosity ; Temperature

As a new type of functional material, magnetic thermosensitive polymeric microspheres offer high potential application in various fields, particularly in bioengineering and biomedical fields. In this review, the development of synthesis and application of magnetic thermosensitive polymeric microspheres was summarized, and the research trends were also discussed.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Magnetics ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Temperature

Environmental stimuli-sensitive biodegradable drug delivery systems are drawing more and more attentions because of their advantages such as smart properties, high efficiency and easy-to-handle properties. On the basis of a large quantity of references on this topic, a review has been made on the developments of the thermosensitive and pH-sensitive intelligent polymeric systems for drug delivery.
Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Excipients ; chemistry ; Humans ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polyglactin 910 ; chemistry

Polymeric drug delivery system for insulin controlled-release is one of the most active fields of research and development in the world. Up to date, several kinds of intelligent drug carriers for glucose-responsive insulin delivery have been reported. On the basis of a large quantity of references on this topic, a review has been made on the developments of the intelligent polymeric systems for glucose-responsive insulin delivery.
Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Insulin ; administration & dosage

Marine-derived biopolymers are excellent raw materials for biomedical products due to their abundant resources, good biocompatibility, low cost and other unique functions. Marine-derived biomaterials become a major branch of biomedical industry and possess promising development prospects since the industry is in line with the trend of "green industry and low-carbon economy". Chitosan and alginates are the most commonly commercialized marine-derived biomaterials and have exhibited great potential in biomedical applications such as wound dressing, dental materials, antibacterial treatment, drug delivery and tissue engineering. This review focuses on the properties and applications of chitosan and alginates in biomedicine.