Synthesis and properties of polysaccharide prodrugs of 5-aminosalicylic acid as potential colon-specific delivery systems

The drug release of the polymer prodrugs of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) was not only dependent on the property of the polymers but also dependent on the solubility of the prodrugs. We prepared several polysaccharide prodrugs of 5-ASA to examine the effect of solubility of prodrugs on the release characteristics of 5-ASA in the gastrointestinal contents of rats. The amide prodrug, chitosan-5-ASA (ChT-5-ASA), did not release the 5-ASA in the cecal and colonic contents. The ester prodrugs, hydroxypropyl cellulose-5-ASA (HPC-5-ASA), being poor solubility in 0.05 mol/l acetic acid solution also did not release the 5-ASA in any of gastrointestinal contents of rats. Whereas the 5-ASA release from cyclodextrins-5-ASA (CyDs-5-ASA) in cecal and colonic contents was significantly higher than that in stomach and small intestine contents. And furthermore, with the decrease in the degree of substitution, the solubility of CyD-5-ASA increased, and the release of 5-ASA in the gastrointestinal contents was also higher at the same time interval of incubation. When the ratio of cyclodextrin (CyD) and 5-formylaminosalicylic acid (5-fASA), a precursor of 5-ASA prodrugs, was 1:10, CyD-5-ASA was very slightly soluble, and no release of 5-ASA was observed within 48 h in gastrointestinal contents. The present results suggested that the ester prodrugs of 5-ASA with certain solubility could release 5-ASA in the cecal and colonic contents of rat.