S-propranolol imprinted polymer nanoparticle-on-microsphere composite porous cellulose membrane for the enantioselectively controlled delivery of racemic propranolol.

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanoparticle-on-microspheres (NOM) selective for S-propranolol were successfully prepared using suspension polymerization involving agitation of the reaction mixture at high speed. The integration of the MIP-NOM into a self-assembled porous cellulose membrane allowed a controlled distribution and availability of the molecule recognition sites within a porous structure. The nature of the membrane-included microparticles determined the degree of porosity whilst the adherent nanoparticles provided an increased surface area enabling the composite membrane to be employed efficiently for the trans-membrane transport of the imprinted molecule. The MIP-NOM within the membrane were easily accessible for binding of the imprinted molecule and appeared to maintain high selectivity, indicating that the composite membranes may potentially provide valuable affinity matrices. In this study, the application for MIP-NOM composite cellulose membranes were investigated for their potential to act as transdermal drug delivery systems for the S-enantiomers from racemic propranolol, its ester prodrugs (cyclopropanoyl- and valeryl-propranolol) or other beta-blockers (pindolol and oxprenolol). The enantioselective release of the fluorescently active 1-pyrene-butyryl ester prodrug of S-propranolol from MIP-NOM composite membranes and its diffusion and transit across excised rat skin was monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The mechanism underlying the release of S-propranolol from the MIP-NOM composite membrane was found to involve specific adsorption and mobility of this enantiomer at the binding site in the MIP-NOM as the latter undergo a transition from the dry to wet state. The proposed MIP-NOM composite membrane controlled release system may be applicable for fabrication of novel membranes with self-controllable permeability responding to the presence of target solutes.