Selecting a polymer depends on its characteristics, the properties of the drug and of the remaining ingredients in the formulation. The drug, when incorporated into a polymeric matrix, can show several advantages when compared with its conventional form. In this context, this work describes the preparation and characterization of polyethylene glycol (PEG 4000) and its derivative particles loaded with benznidazole, as well as evaluates their trypanocidal activity. In this work, reactions to modify the PEG 4000 polymer and the subsequent incorporation of the benznidazole were made. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis confirmed the efficiency in modifying the PEG chains. The morphology of polymeric films was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and showed considerable changes on the film organization. The acetylation of PEG favored the stability of the system and an increase in the zeta potential from ?14.83 to ?25.54 mV was observed. Although encapsulation efficiency values between 30.14 and 39.48% were found, the enhanced benznidazole dissolution profile by microparticles enables the use of lower drug concentrations. This fact can be proven by the increased trypanocidal effect of benznidazole when encapsulated in BP3 microparticles. Finally, the high selectivity of the formulations for trypanocidal action guarantees their safety as an alternative for the treatment of the Chagas disease.

The insertion of functional groups in polymer compounds may facilitate their interaction with different drugs. PEG polymers are widely used for their low melting point, low toxicity, drug compatibility, and hydrophilicity. They are used as pharmaceutical excipients for the formulation of conventional or modified released drugs and are designed to be upgraded as drug-modulating controllers at specific sites in the body. Indomethacin has been used in the controlled release of drugs because it is a drug that have good interaction with different polymers. The drug is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondylitis, and other disorders. In this work, PEG 4000 had its chain modified by organic reactions and their derivatives were emulsified to form microparticles using polyvinyl alcohol as an emulsifier. Posteriorly were also incorporated with indomethacin. The samples were characterized to prove the influence of indomethacin on the morphology and thermal behavior of this polymer. The controlled release was performed in the time from 0 to 240 min using the Ultraviolet Spectroscopy to quantify indomethacin released from the polymer matrix for these 4 hours. Releases over the time were satisfactory as concentrations increased over time, which we can conclude that the structural modification of PEG 4000 was beneficial in the release of the indomethacin drug.

Uma série de copolímeros com segmentos líquido-cristalinos foram sintetizados por policondensação em solução a alta temperatura e misturados com poli(tereftalato de etileno) (PET) e um poliéster líquido-cristalino termotrópico (TLCP), previamente sintetizado. Os copolímeros foram utilizados com sucesso como compatibilizantes nas misturas PET/TLCP. As técnicas de caloria diferencial de varredura, análises dinâmico-mecânicas, análises térmicas e microscopia eletrônica (SEM) foram utilizadas na caracterização dos polímeros. Foi verificada boa processabilidade e diminuição da velocidade de cristalização das misturas. As micrografias das superfícies fraturadas das amostras, obtidas das análises de SEM, mostraram melhor miscibilidade para as misturas com maior teor de copolímero.

A serie of copolyesters with liquid crystalline segments were synthesized by high temperature solution polycondensation and mixed with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and a thermotropic liquid crystalline polyester (TLCP), previously synthesized. The copolyesters were successfully applied to compatibilize PET/TLCP blends. The techniques applied to characterize compatibilization were thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis and eletron microscopy (SEM). Good processing and depression of crystallization rate were obtained in blends. The SEM micrographs for fractured surface show better miscibility from PET/TLCP blends with higher content of copolymer.

Foi realizado o estudo cinético da cristalização dinâmica de um poliéster líquido-cristalino termotrópico com espaçadores flexíveis na cadeia principal. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o mecanismo da cinética de cristalização do poliéster termotrópico semi-flexível através de um método não-isotérmico. O método empregado (método de Ozawa) permitiu descrever a cinética de cristalização dinâmica do poliéster e os valores de n (expoente de Avrami) encontrados correspondem a um crescimento de cristais em forma de feixe sem crescimento esferulítico posterior.

The study of dynamic crystallization kinetics of a thermotropic polyester with flexible spacers in the main chain was done. The aim of this study was to verify the crystallization kinetics mechanism of a thermotropic semi-flexible polyester by a dynamic method. The selected method (Ozawa method) has allowed to describe the crystallization kinetics and the values of n (Avrami exponent) correspond to sheaf-like aggregation without further growing into spherulites.