POLY(D,L-LACTIDE-CO-GLYCOLIDE)/HYDROXYAPATITE CORE-SHELL NANOSPHERE. PT.2. SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE OF A DRUG AND A PRODRUG (CLINDAMYCIN AND CLINDAMYCIN PHOSPHATE)

Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite (PLGA/HAp) core-shell nanostructures were used as the carrier of clindamycin-base, as a drug, and clindamycin-2-phosphate, as a prodrug model. As a result, a two-step release was observed: the controlled release of the more soluble phosphate form and the sustained release of the less-soluble base form of clindamycin, resulting in a high overall concentration of the released drug during the period of 30 days in vitro. The HAp phase within the PLGA core-shells, applied as a drug carrier, delayed the process of the degradation of the polymer; however, the presence of the drug affected the process of degradation and this was the dominant factor in the control over the degradation of the polymer phase of PLGA/HAp and the consequent kinetics of the drug release.