Polyesters have been widely used as implantable implants and drug delivery systems. However, since the polyesters made up of aliphatic esters are composed of hydrophobic chains that can't give the functional group to a main chain, it is difficult to control the biodegradation period and mechanical properties and to give a more varied and functional role. Therefore, it is necessary to develop polyesters having a functional group by introducing functional groups to aliphatic esters to solve this problem.
The purpose of this study is to synthesize polyesters with functional groups with various decomposition periods and physical properties and then to evaluate the possibility of the activation of the functional groups.
First, a functional polyester composed of functional L-lactide(fLA) containing ε-caprolactone(CL), L-lactide(LA) and a functional group was produced, and an antithrombotic functional group was incorporated to confirm the functionality of the functional group as implants. The antithrombotic functional polyester featured biodegradability, blood stability and antithrombotic properties, so that it showed the possibility of cardiovascular transplantation.
In addition, functional polyesters made up of functional L-lactide(fLA) containing ε-caprolactone(CL) and functional groups were produced as a drug transporter, and ionic functional groups were incorporated thereto. Polyesters with ionic functional groups have been formulated for the delivery of hydrogel drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the efficacy of RA treatment was verified by the sustained release of drug through electrostatic attraction using counter-ion drug.
In conclusion, according to the results of the study, functional polyesters were made by polymerizing aliphatic esters that functional groups were given, and the granted functional groups roles were well performed. This presents a new strategy for the development of biomaterials by suggesting and then verifying a strategy for producing more functional and customized polyesters that are currently used as biodegradable biomaterials in regenerative medicine.
