Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications is a comprehensive, well-researched, and clearly written book that achieves an optimal balance between depth and breadth of
information. The authors are biomaterial and biomedical experts from various academic research institutions from all over
the world, including the United States, Europe, and Asia. Pharmaceutical scientists working in the fields of biopolymeric
drug delivery, sustained-release formulation, natural-based polymeric nanoparticles, hydrogels, polysaccharides, biopolymers,
and biomaterials will find this book useful.
Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications, R.L. Reis, Ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2008, 802 pp., ISBN: 9781420076073
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The book's six main parts describe natural-based polymers, biomimetic coatings, biodegradable scaffolds for tissue regeneration,
naturally-derived hydrogels, sustainedrelease systems, and the biocompatibility of natural-based polymers. Of particular interest
to formulation scientists are Parts I and V, which present information about polysaccharide carriers, liposomes, polysaccharide
hydrogels, and polysaccharide sustained-release systems.
Part I discusses the purification, processing, degradation kinetics, and drug delivery of various classes of natural-based
polymers in detail. The authors provide in-depth information about various polysaccharides used in drug formulations, as excipients
and as carriers, and about smart systems.
Part II describes how biomaterials' surfaces are affected by cellular material. The authors discuss practical applications
such as ensuring biocompatibility, surface modification for enhanced properties, and nanotechnology techniques to provide
surface functionality. This section would interest biomedical scientists more than drug-delivery and formulation scientists.
The following section describes methods for creating scaffolds with designed characteristics for tissue-engineering applications.
With the exception of a subsection about drug delivery using elastin-like polymers, this section is not particularly relevant
to manufacturers of final dosage forms.
Hydrogels are the subject of Part IV. The authors describe how scientists can harness the unique fundamental physicochemical
properties of natural polymers to use hydrogels as matrices for drug delivery and regenerative medicine. This section examines
polysaccharide-based hydrogels, alginate hydrogels, and fibrin matrices. Chapter 18 describes some properties of individual
types of polysaccharide hydrogel materials, a subject of interest to drug-delivery formulation scientists.
Part V continues the examination of drug-delivery applications. The section includes information about designing advanced
systems for the controlled delivery of small molecules and macromolecules. Among other topics, the authors consider thiolated
chitosans in noninvasive drug delivery and chitosan–polysaccharide blended nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery.
Unfortunately, this part of the book gives certain subjects short shrift and omits others completely. For example, the pharmaceutical
particle-processing technique of supercritical fluid using CO2 is presented briefly. The drug-delivery topics of liposomes and pegylation are likewise touched upon, but not explained
in depth.
In addition, this section does not encompass all aspects of sustained drug delivery, but rather restricts itself to polysaccharide
particles for drug delivery. The physicochemical properties and their relationships to particle drug-release behavior also
are not presented in depth, nor are analytical and physical characterization techniques.
Part VI focuses on autoimmune responses at a cellular level in the context of tissue engineering and biocompatibility. The
information presented on the biocompatibility of these pharmaceutical polysaccharide polymers may be helpful to producers
of final dosage forms.
The authors and editors manage to present these important topics without overwhelming the reader. The presentation is clear,
and many helpful tables, fine images, schematics, and diagrams are included throughout the book to aid the reader. For example,
certain figures show the chemical structures of various polysaccharides, and Table 1.1 lists macromolecular prodrugs of chemotherapeutics
conjugated to polysaccharide carriers. Particularly interesting to drug delivery scientists, Tables 23.1 and 23.2 list several
types of drugs and macromolecules encapsulated in biodegradeable polymers as microparticles and nanoparticles, respectively.
Natural-Based Polymers for Biomedical Applications is recommended to pharmaceutical scientists in industry and academia working with polysaccharide polymers as excipients and
carriers. The book would also be a valuable resource for educators, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students working with
natural-based polymers in the design and development of dosage forms and controlled-release delivery systems.
Heidi M. Mansour, PhD, RPh, is an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences and pharmaceutical technology at the University of Kentucky College
of Pharmacy, 725 Rose St., 411A Pharmacy Bldg., Lexington, KY 40536-0082, tel. 859.257.1571, heidi.mansour@uky.edu
.
