Date of Award

2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Su, Bin

Subject Headings

Drug delivery systems, Thermal analysis, Polymers -- Thermal properties, Calorimetry

Abstract

This thesis encompasses three significant projects. The study includes the characterization and evaluation of the properties of a commercial contraceptive transdermal patch, Ortho Evra® by Dielectric Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). This study helps in monitoring the mobility of the drug and transport properties by Isothermal and Scanning Dielectric Analysis as a function of temperature and frequency. The drugs in this product are norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol. DSC was used to detect any crystalline character of the drugs by their fusion properties. Having no melting endotherm and detecting a glass transition temperature suggested that the drugs in the patches were amorphous. The amorphous form of the drug has more bioavailability. The isothermal DEA a plot of Log frequency vs. reciprocal temperature (K) revealed two critical modulating frequencies at body temperature 37°C for the two API drugs with DEA peak frequencies at 460 and 560 Hz. The main project includes studying the polarization of macro and micro molecular liquid drugs by Dielectric Analysis, B-Cell (a customized isothermal dielectric device) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. This study demonstrated in vitro transport of selected non-ionic high (e.g. insulin) and low (e.g. Diphenhydramine) molecular weight drugs through excised biological tissue membranes using alternating current (AC) electrokinetics. This new technique of the drug delivery system enhances benefits over systemic oral therapies, in which clinically sufficient quantities of the active ingredient do not reach the intended target organ and/or use of the drugs result in serious side effects. An optimally-tuned low-voltage applied AC electrical field has been found capable of inducing polarization and delivering micro and macromolecules through a biological membrane. The relationships between factors such as delivery time, AC voltage amplitude and frequency, and transported drug concentration were investigated. A factorial design was used to establ

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