Controlled Drug Release from Laser Treated Polymeric Carrier

Abstract

In this study, we present the effect of laser treatment on polymeric poly(lactic acid) drug carrier films. Our goal was to demonstrate the control of the drug-release kinetics of a polymeric carrier as a function of total absorbed laser energy. The controlled drug release kinetic was achieved by modifying the amorphous polymeric carrier's molecular weight via low energy density laser-exposure. According to gel permeation chromatography results, the decrease of molecular weight correlates with an increasing laser-shot number and shows a distinct saturation-like behavior. The dissolution test also suggests the presence of such dependency, as the rate and amount of caffeine released from the sample shows an increasing tendency up to 2000 laser shots. This fact proves that the laser treatment modifies the drug release. The approach presented here may complement other methods used for controlled drug release in various medical and pharmacological applications.

Keywords: Caffeine; Controlled release; Laser; Photodegradation; Polymeric carrier.