Feedback regulated drug delivery vehicles: carbon dioxide responsive cationic hydrogels for antidote release.

A possible approach to handling the harmful side effects of an analgesic overdose, without losing its therapeutic potential, involves feedback regulated delivery of an antidote. For example, overdose of morphine causes hypoventilation, an inadequate ventilation to perform gas exchanges in lungs leading to increased CO2 concentration in the blood. Taking advantage of CO2 as a toxicity marker, a hydrogel-based delivery vehicle containing dimethylamino groups [poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) cross-linked by trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate] was designed.

Formation of linear polymers with pendant vinyl groups via inclusion complex mediated polymerization of divinyl monomers.

Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and ethylene glycol methacrylate 4-vinyl benzoate (EGMAVB) were shown to form 1:1 inclusion complexes with cyclodextrin and were characterized by instrumental techniques. Computational analysis showed that the bent conformation of the included divinyl monomer was more stable than its linear conformation. Complexation of the divinyl monomer with the first CD molecule offered substantial stabilization than with the second CD molecule.