Synthesis and characterization of novel polymer-drug conjugates based on the poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) as a potential method for drug release.

Six well known drugs, captopril, metformin-HCl, metroniazole, nortriptyline-HCl, fluoxetine-HCl and betahistin-HCl, were grafted to poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PSMA). Grafting was attained by combining of anhydride groups in the PSMA with therapeutic agents containing NH, OH or SH groups. The covalently grafted drugs were identified by infrared, (1)H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy.