Biodegradable Coumaric Acid-based Poly(anhydride-ester) Synthesis and Subsequent Controlled Release

摘要

p-Coumaric acid (pCA), a naturally occurring bioactive, has been chemically incorporated into a poly(anhydride-ester) backbone through solution polymerization following a Knoevenagel synthetic approach to overcome drug delivery issues associated with its short half-life in vivo. Nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies indicated that pCA was successfully incorporated without noticeable alterations in structural integrity. The weight-average molecular weight and thermal properties were determined for the polymer, which exhibited a molecular weight of over 26,000 Da and a glass transition temperature of 57 °C. In addition, in vitro pCA release via hydrolytic anhydride and ester bond cleavage demonstrated pCA release over 30 days and maintained its antioxidant activity, demonstrating its potential as a controlled release system.