Effects of ionizing radiation sterilization on microparticulate drug delivery systems based on poly-α-hydroxyacids: an overview

Ionizing radiation treatment is particularly advantageous as a sterilization technique for polymeric drug delivery systems. In recent years several authors have investigated this topic with interesting and sometimes controversial results. This overview was aimed at gathering and critically discussing the studies performed on the effect of ionizing radiation sterilization on microparticulate drug delivery systems made of poly-α-hydroxyacids. The results reported in the literature showed that ionizing radiation always led to a decrease in poly-α-hydroxyacids molecular weight. This effect was strictly related to irradiation dose, irradiation conditions, and depended on the starting polymer molecular weight. The presence of a drug and/or an additive inside the polymeric micromatrix could affect polymer behavior upon irradiation and consequently drug release behavior. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) proved to be useful techniques to elucidate the radiolytic mechanisms and the drug /polymer interaction upon irradiation.