Periodontal disease is a widespread chronic inflammatory disease, very difficult to treat. Currently available therapeutic approaches usually lead only to short-term recovery. In this master's thesis, we developed nanofibers with simvastatin for the immunomodulatory treatment of periodontal disease. The fibers were prepared from Kollidon SR, polyethylene oxide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polycaprolactone and Soluplus. We incorporated a poorly water-soluble and chemically unstable drug, simvastatin, into the polymer nanofibers, and investigated the morphology of the nanofibers and the release of simvastatin from the fibers. Simvastatin release profiles show fast simvastatin release from Soluplus, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene oxide and polycaprolactone nanofibers, indicating simvastatin was at least partially converted to its amorphous form during the electrospinning process. Under sink conditions, simvastatin was released rapidly from formulations with hydrophilic polymers. Despite its hydrophobicity, simvastatin was also released from polycaprolactone nanofibers in less than 2 h. Simvastatin was not completely released from the Kollidon SR nanofibers within 24 h. We increased the solubility of simvastatin in non sink conditions by its incorporation in polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers. Dissolution of simvastatin from nanofibers resulted in supersaturated state and thus a concentration of dissolved simvastatin which corresponds to its therapeutic concentration for the treatment of periodontal disease was achieved. Nanofibers could be placed locally in the periodontal pockets that are formed in periodontal disease. It is difficult to predict the true concentrations of the drug at the affected site in vivo, since the volume of the medium in the experiment in vitro was much higher than in periodontal pockets. DSC analysis revealed that simvastatin in polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofibers was at least partially in amorphous form, which is favorable for increasing its solubility. However, the method for investigation of sample crystallinity was shown to be inadequate, since polymers melted at lower temperature than the drug, which could thus dissolve in polymer melt during the analysis. Although the delivery system was designed for the local treatment of periodontal disease, improving the solubility and dissolution rate of simvastatin and its rapid release from the delivery system could result in improved intestinal absorption after oral administration, which may increase its bioavailability.
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