Imprinted hydrophilicnanospheres as drug delivery systems for 5-fluorouracil sustained release

Molecularly imprinted hydrogel nanospheres as devices for the controlled/sustained release of 5-fluororacil in biological fluidswere synthesized employing one-pot precipitation technique as the polymerization method. Methacrylic acid as a functionalmonomer and ethylene glycole dimethacrylate as a cross-linker were used in polymeric feed. Morphological and hydrophilicproperties were determined by scanning electron microscopy and water content measurement, and recognition and selectivityproperties of spherical molecularly imprinted polymers were compared with the spherical non-imprinted polymers, both inorganic (acetonitrile) and water media. Finally, in vitro release studies were performed in plasma simulating fluids.