Prodigiosin Encapsulated Poly Lactide-Co-Glycolide (PLGA)- Coated Stent for Coronary Cardiovascular Interventions

Abstract

This research focuses on the design of a robust but flexible prodigiosin eluting stent coating for possible coronary cardiovascular implant. When coated with the drug embedded polymer matrix, the stent would be expected to dilate the vessel around the fatty blockages while the drug eluting polymer membrane delivers anti-proliferative drugs over a period of time to prevent the restenosis that otherwise would occur. The goal of this work is to incorporate anti-cancerous drug prodigiosin in the PLGA polymer matrix and then ascertain its release kinetics. In this research, Poly vinyl Pyrrolidone was used as a binder and cross-linker to create adhesion between the metallic stent strut and the drug encapsulated polymer matrix as well as between the polymer and the drug. This work also explores diffusion and degradation phenomena to explain the transport, dissemination, dispersion and absorption of drugs at the interface between the stent and the vessel wall. The expected results will then be discussed for potential applications via the incorporation of these prodigiosin-eluting stents for the treatment of coronary cardiovascular diseases.