| Abstract: | In this paper, several drug carriers were fabricated to release the hydrophilic 5‐fluorouracil (5‐Fu), such as blend of polylactide (PLA) with different molecular weights and blends of PLA with polycaprolactone (PCL) or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The controlled release devices were processed into tablets containing 12.5 wt% of 5‐Fu, and the in vitro release studies were carried out under pH 7.4 at 37 ± 1 °C. The degradation of all the drug carriers were performed under the same conditions, parameters that changes of inherent viscosity, weight loss and water sorption were determined at predetermined time intervals with degradation. To inspect the morphology of the PLA‐based blends and its affect on the 5‐Fu release behavior thereof, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction techniques were applied. As a result, the two‐phasic release behavior of homo‐PLA was significantly ameliorated in all the cases by the initial time lag period being eliminated or shortened. And a linear 5‐Fu release behavior was obtained from blend of PLAs with different molecular weights. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
