Synthetic polymers as drugs.

Biologically active compounds have been incorporated into synthetic polymers. Bithionol, a well-known and potent antibacterial agent, has been used as bisphenol monomers for polyesters, polyphosphates, and phosphonates; the bischloroformate of bithionol has been converted into copolycarbonates and polyurethanes. The copolycarbonates of bithionol, optimally designed polymer structures with poly(ethylene oxide) glycols as the other comonomer, have been hydrolyzed under physiological conditions at a degradation rate of about 1% per day. Primaquine, an antimalarial, and amantadine, an antiviral agent, when reacted with isocyanates gave polymeric biurets as do other primary aliphatic amines. Primaquine also underwent nucleophilic substitution reactions on polyepichlorohydrin. 3-Vinyl-, 4-vinyl-, and 5-vinylsalicylic acids have been synthesized, polymerized, and copolymerized to polymeric antibacterials. Copolymers of vinylsalicylic acid can be selective in their activity, depending on the comonomer. Selectivity can also be achieved by derivation of the poly(vinylsalicylic acid).