ABSTRACT
Polymers are playing an important role in the designing of both conventional and novel drug delivery systems. It can be capable to modify the drug-release pattern, increase the stability of the drug and modify the pharmacokinetic properties of the drug. Polymers occupy a major portion of materials used for the fabrication of drug-targetable and controlled-release formulations because it presents seemingly endless diversity in topology and chemistry, which offers easy functionalisation on them. Most of the natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers have some specific properties such as degradability, adhesiveness, non-immunogenicity, non-inflammatory and non-toxicity as well as provide the significant advantage of being able to be broken down and removed after they have served their function. Some natural polymers also have anticancer, antidiabetic and other therapeutic properties. Biodegradable polymers are widely used in the designing of both conventional and novel drug delivery systems. They are used as binders, disintegrating agent, to mask the unpleasant taste of therapeutics in the pharmaceutical industry. The polymers that show pH, temperature and ion responsive drug-release properties may help to make its drug delivery system, targetable or site-specific, and protect from a specific enzymatic and pH environment. The designing of copolymers offers high drug loading capacity for both polar and non-polar drugs and high functionalisation. This entry includes different types of natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers with specific physicochemical and biological properties along with their use in the designing of conventional and novel drug delivery systems.
