The ability to control drug loading and release is the most important feature in the development of medical devices. In this research, we prepared a functional nanocoating technology to incorporate a drug-release layer onto a desired substrate. The multilayer films were prepared using chitosan (CHI) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polysaccharides by the layer-by-layer (LbL) method. By using chemical cross-linking to change the inner structure of the assembled multilayer, we could control the extent of drug loading and release. The cross-linked multilayer film had a porous structure and enhanced water wettability. Interestingly, more of the small-molecule drug was loaded into and released from the non-cross-linked multilayer film, whereas more of the macromolecular drug was loaded into and released from the cross-linked multilayer film. These results indicate that drug loading and release can be easily controlled according to the molecular weight of the desired drug by changing the structure of the film.
Keywords: cross-linking; drug loading and release behavior; layer-by-layer; polysaccharide; structural change.