This book describes 200 bio-polymers, including the most recent and advanced nanotechnology applications. The applications of various bio-medical and other future potential uses are covered and examined in depth. Systematic discussion of current leading natural polymers is also included.

Natural polymers have been utilized extensively in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, oil drilling and paint industries. Their non-toxic and inexpensive attributes readily enhance their commercial acceptability and make them potent agents in lieu of synthetic polymers. This book explores the opportunistic utility of natural polymers in developing effective drug delivery systems and provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of their source, chemical structure and mechanism of action. Covering novel polymers for drug delivery - in particular extracts from plants, microorganisms and proteins, as well as water soluble and water insoluble biodegradable polymers - it presents an encyclopaedic overview of natural polymers'. Natural Polymers for Drug Delivery is an invaluable resource for researchers, students and industrial scientists in the fields of biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacology and food science.

Polymers are important and attractive biomaterials for researchers and clinical applications due to the ease of tailoring their chemical, physical and biological properties for target devices. Due to this versatility they are rapidly replacing other classes of biomaterials such as ceramics or metals. As a result, the demand for biomedical polymers has grown exponentially and supports a diverse and highly monetized research community. Currently worth $1.2bn in 2009 (up from $650m in 2000), biomedical polymers are expected to achieve a CAGR of 9.8% until 2015, supporting a current research community of approximately 28,000+. Summarizing the main advances in biopolymer development of the last decades, this work systematically covers both the physical science and biomedical engineering of the multidisciplinary field. Coverage extends across synthesis, characterization, design consideration and biomedical applications. The work supports scientists researching the formulation of novel polymers with desirable physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties for specific targeted biomedical applications. - Combines chemistry, biology and engineering for expert and appropriate integration of design and engineering of polymeric biomaterials - Physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties alongside currently deployed clinical applications of specific biomaterials aids use as single source reference on field. - 15+ case studies provides in-depth analysis of currently used polymeric biomaterials, aiding design considerations for the future

Natural Polysaccharides in Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications provides a fundamental overview of natural polysaccharides, their sources, extraction methodologies, and characterizations. It covers specific natural polysaccharides and their effective application in drug delivery and biomedical use. Additionally, chapters in the book discuss key topics including the sources and extraction methodologies of natural polysaccharides, their role in tissue engineering applications, polysaccharide-based nanoparticles in biomedical applications, and their role in the delivery of anticancer drugs. Written by industry leaders and edited by experts, this book emphasizes recent advances made in the field.Natural Polysaccharides in Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications provides academics, researchers, and pharmaceutical health care professionals with a comprehensive book on polysaccharides in pharmaceutical delivery process. - Provides fundamental concepts of natural polysaccharides as it applies to the pharmaceutical, biomedical, and biotechnology industries - Includes contributions from global leaders and experts from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies in the application of natural polysaccharides in pharmaceutical products and biomedical utilization - Offers practical examples, illustrations, chemical structures, and research case studies to help explain natural polysaccharides concepts in drug delivery and biomedical applications

Organic Materials as Smart Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery presents the latest developments in the area of organic frameworks used in pharmaceutical nanotechnology. An up-to-date overview of organic smart nanocarriers is explored, along with the different types of nanocarriers, including polymeric micelles, cyclodextrins, hydrogels, lipid nanoparticles and nanoemlusions. Written by a diverse range of international academics, this book is a valuable reference for researchers in biomaterials, the pharmaceutical industry, and those who want to learn more about the current applications of organic smart nanocarriers. - Explores the most recent molecular- and structure-based applications of organic smart nanocarriers in drug delivery - Highlights different smart nanocarriers and assesses their intricate organic structural properties for improving drug delivery - Assesses how molecular organic frameworks lead to more effective drug delivery systems

Chitosan in Drug Delivery provides thorough insights into chitosan chemistry, collection, chemical modifications, characterization and applications in the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare fields. The book explores molecular weight, degree of deacetylation and molecular geometry, emphasizing recent advances in the field as written by academic, industry and regulatory scientists. It will be a useful resource for pharmaceutical scientists, including industrial pharmacists, analytical scientists, postgraduate students, health care professionals and regulatory scientists actively involved in pharmaceutical product and process development in natural polymers containing drug delivery. - Provides methodologies for the design, development and selection of chitosan in drug delivery for particular therapeutic applications - Includes illustrations demonstrating the mechanism of biological interaction of chitosan - Discusses the regulatory aspects and demonstrates the clinical efficacy of chitosan

This new volume, Natural Polymers for Pharmaceutical Applications, Volume 1: Plant-Derived Polymers, presents some of the latest research on the applications of natural polymers in drug delivery and therapeutics for healthcare benefits. Polymers and their applications from several plants are discussed in depth, including tamarind gum, gum Arabic, natural carbohydrate polymer gum tragacanth, pectin, guar gum and its derivatives, locust bean gum, sterculia gum, okra gum, and others. The use of the polymers derived from plants as potential pharmaceutical excipients is expanding day by day because of their stability in the biological system, drug-releasing capability, drug-targeting abilities, as well as their bioavailability.

This book introduces the most recent innovations in natural polymer applications in the food, construction, electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and engineering industries. The authors provide perspectives from their respective range of industries covering classification, extraction, modification, and application of natural polymers from various sources in nature. They discuss the techniques used in analysis of natural polymers in various systems incorporating natural polymers as well as their intrinsic properties.

Applications of Polymers in Drug Delivery, Second Edition, provides a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to understand how polymeric materials can be applied to current, new, and emerging drug delivery applications. Polymers play a crucial role in modulating drug delivery and have been fundamental in the successful development of many novel drug delivery systems. This book describes the development of polymeric systems, ranging from conventional dosage forms to the most recent smart systems. Regulatory and intellectual property aspects as well as the clinical applicability of polymeric drug delivery systems are also discussed. The chapters are organized by specific delivery route, offering methodical and detailed coverage throughout. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to include the latest developments in the field. This is an essential book for researchers, scientists, and advanced students, in polymer science, drug delivery, pharmacology/pharmaceuticals, materials science, tissue engineering, nanomedicine, chemistry, and biology. In industry, this book supports scientists, R&D, and other professionals, working on polymers for drug delivery applications. - Explains how polymers can be prepared and utilized for all major drug delivery routes - Presents the latest advances, including drug targeting, polymeric micelles and polymersomes, and the delivery of biologicals and nucleic acid therapeutics - Includes appendices with in-depth information on pharmaceutical properties of polymers and regulatory aspects

"In the search for sustainable materials, natural polymers present an attractive alternative for many applications compared to their synthetic counterparts derived from petrochemicals. The two volume set, Natural Polymers, covers the synthesis, characterisation and applications of key natural polymeric systems including their morphology, structure, dynamics and properties. Volume one focuses on natural polymer composites, including both natural and protein fibres, and volume two on natural polymer nanocomposites. The first volume examines the characterization, life cycle assessment and new sources of natural fibres and their potential as a replacement for synthetic fibres in industrial applications. It then explores the important advancements in the field of wool, silk, spidersilk and mussel byssus fibres. The second volume looks at the properties and characterization of cellulose, chitosan, furanic, starch, wool and silk nanocomposites and the potential industrial applications of natural polymer nanocomposites"-- Provided by publisher.