Abstract

Nowadays, biomedical films containing drug carriers are preferred over conventional ones, since the protection of the injury and the therapy is joined within a single device. In the current work, we prepared polycaprolactone (PCL) composite films with beta-cyclodextrin (beta CD) or its epichlorohydrin crosslinked polymer (beta CDP) as ibuprofen (Ibu) drug carrier. The composite films were prepared at different PCL/additive ratios (2, 5, 10 and 20 wt%). ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and water contact angle (WCA) measurements indicated a scarce presence of the additives on the surface. Cross-section scanning electron micrographs showed the presence of aggregates corresponding to beta CD and beta CDP in the inner regions of the films. The incorporation of beta CD and beta CDP into the PCL films did not affect their thermal properties as was determined from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). PCL-films with 10 wt% of the inclusion complexes Ibu@beta CD and Ibu@beta CDP were prepared and the release studies were performed. At pH = 7.2, PCL-Ibu@beta CDP composite film released 55% of Ibu within the first six hours; eight times the amount released by PCL-Ibu@beta CD within the same time interval. A plausible mechanism for ibuprofen release is discussed based on the cross-section SEM micrographs of composite films.