The preparation, characterization, and in vitro release of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) from methacrylic acid (MAA)/perlite composites (APC) prepared via a sol–gel route are reported. The free-radical graft polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) onto perlite particles was studied experimentally. The grafting procedure consisted of surface activation with 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TSPA), followed by free-radical graft polymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) in ethyl acetate with 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) initiator. The composition of the composites hybrid materials was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. Equilibrium swelling studies were carried out in enzyme-free simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF and SIF, respectively). The dried composites were immersed in a saturated solution of 5-ASA in water overnight and dried over a period of three days at room temperature and the in vitro release profiles were established separately in both (SGF, pH 1) and (SIF, pH 7.4). The 5-ASA concentration of the solution was measured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer (205 nm) at different time intervals. The in vitro drug release test revealed that the release rate of 5-ASA in buffer solutions increased with the silica content in the composites; on the contrary, the increase of the content of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TSPA), a coupling agent, decreased the drug release rate.

The aim of this study was to develop novel intestinal specific drug delivery systems with pH sensitive swelling and drug release properties. The carboxyl group of ibuprofen was converted to a vinyl ester group by reacting ibuprofen and vinyl acetate as an acylating agent in the presence of catalyst. The glucose-6-acrylate-1, 2, 3, 4-tetraacetate (GATA) monomer was prepared under mild conditions. Cubane-1, 4-dicarboxylic acid (CDA) linked to two 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) group was used as the crosslinking agent (CA). Methacrylic-type polymeric prodrugs were synthesized by the free radical copolymerization of methacrylic acid, vinyl ester derivative of ibuprofen (VIP) and GATA in the presence of cubane crosslinking agent. The structure of VIP was characterized and confirmed by FTIR, 1 H NMR and 1 3 C NMR spectroscopy. The composition of the cross-linked three-dimensional polymers was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The hydrolysis of drug polymer conjugates was carried out in cellophane membrane dialysis bags, and the in vitro release profiles were established separately in enzyme-free simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF, pH 1 and SIF, pH 7.4). The detection of a hydrolysis solution by UV spectroscopy at selected intervals showed that the drug can be released by hydrolysis of the ester bond between the drug and polymer backbone at a low rate. Drug release studies showed that increasing the MAA content in the copolymer enhances the rate of hydrolysis in SIF. These results suggest that these polymeric prodrugs can be useful for the release of ibuprofen in controlled release systems.