NEW HYDROPHILIC POLYESTERS AND RELATED POLYMERS AS BIOERODIBLE POLYMERIC MATRICES

A survey is reported on our activity performed in the last few years o n the preparation of new synthetic and semisynthetic polymeric materia ls endowed with bioerodible-biodegradable characteristics and designed for applications in the practice of controlled release of active prin ciples of pharmaceutical and agrochemical significance. The presentati on of the results will be arranged into the following sections: (1) hy droxyl containing polyesters, that comprise polymerization products ba sed on racemic and optically active glyceric acid, or attained by poly addition reactions among cyclic anhydrides, including also carbon diox ide, with monoglycidyl ethers of reversibly protected polyols. In this class are also presented the related polyhydroxylated systems obtaine d by selective grafting functional epoxides on cyclodextrins. (2) Bioe rodible carboxyl containing plolymeric systems as derived from the alt ernating copolymerization of maleic anhydride with alkyl vinyl ethers followed by partial esterification of maleic anhydride groups. (3) Lin ear and cross-linked functional polymers of synthetic and semisyntheti c origin with hydrogel forming capability. Typical examples of their a pplications in the release of drugs and phytodrugs are also presented.