Polyhydroxyalkanoates based systems: the future of drug delivery and tissue engineering devices

Abstract

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a diverse group of polymersbiocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, which can be biologically produced andgather highlighted properties. For this reason, they have been selected assuitable materials to be applied in pharmaceutical and biomedical devices. PHAsshow tunable mechanical and physical properties, and evidence two morestrengthens: they are environmentally friendly and renewable in nature. Due tothat properties and based on the new perspectives of green chemistry, PHAs havegained place against other polymers and their use in many research fields hasbeen in constant increase. Pharmaceutical science and tissue engineering havenot been the exception. Consequently, these polymers have been proposed forapplication in the development of different pharmaceutical formulations due tothat they can be administered by different routes or they can be implanted. Thedevelopment of efficient devices, in many cases, needs the association of PHAswith other polymers or inorganic ceramics. Thus, in this work, a brief overviewof the synthesis of these polymers including types of bacteria strains, carbonsources, and the strategies for the improvement of PHAs properties byco-polymerization has been addressed. Finally, a full description of theapplication of PHAs in drug delivery systems, and into the design of tissueengineering devices is carried out. Accordingly, a complete overview of thepotential of these polymers and their possible future perspectives are shown.